Art of a Sun's Love - Volume II
by Hufflepuff Batboy
Summary: Continuing from Volume I, Dawn Spark learns how her parents Sunset Shimmer and Vincent van Colt finally fell in love. In addition to that, she learns about some significant events during the 2014-2016 period that changed the lives of many living in Rainbow Falls forever. Who will fall in love, and who will live to tell another tale? (AU; volume 2 of 3)
1. SLS1 - What Is Life

At last, we finally kick off volume two of _Art of a Sun's Love_! The five sub-volumes in it are as follows: _Silly Love Songs_ , _Heroes and Villains_ , _Song of the Comet_ , _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_ , and _Demons Within_. But now, let's start with _Silly Love Songs_ and see if Vincent and Sunset will finally fall in love!

* * *

 ** _Art of a Sun's Love_ Volume II**

 **Series Created by Zack Wanzer**

 **Based upon _My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic_ by Lauren Faust, _My Little Pony Equestria Girls_ by Meghan McCarthy, and the music of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr**

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 - _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 1 - What Is Life (Harrison, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

Five days ago, seventeen year old Dawn Spark walked into Canterlot Cafe and met with three women who collectively referred to themselves as the Dazzlings; they recounted to her the story of her grandmother Celestia and great-aunt Luna and how they had a falling out before reuniting a thousand days later. Afterward, and over the course of three days, Dawn learned about everything her parents Vincent van Colt and Sunset Shimmer went through in their childhood and teenage days. Stories ranged from the death of Sunset's father Noble Shield at the hands of Icy Heart; the first meetings with Twilight Sparkle, Comet Tail, and Math Equation; Vincent's first disastrous Fall Formal; a brief love triangle between Flash Sentry, Twilight, and Math; Comet Tail starting a relationship with Song Cue; the abuse Butterscotch suffered from Scattered Marbles; how Sunset overcame being bullied by Starlight Glimmer and Trixie Lulamoon; another love triangle between Blossomforth, Vincent, and Sunset; the Sentry family becoming splintered prior to Lullaby Strings' death; and the re-appearance of Celestia's husband Sombra. All were incredible stories in their own right, but there are still many more to tell...

* * *

Our story resumes on Friday the sixth of August in the year 2038, at Waterfall Prism's restored mansion with Dawn and her parents. At this point, they were playing a board game known as Snakes and Ladders. Right now, it looked as though Sunset was going to win.

"Aww, no!" she cried as she landed on square 98. "I missed by two squares!"

"And you've angered the gorillas too," Vincent teased as his wife went down to square 78.

"Oh, I'll try to roll a two next time," said Sunset. "Just you wait!"

"Here we go," said Dawn, rolling the dice for her turn. She was on square 65 and got a six. "Yippee!" she cried, and moved her piece from 71 to 91. "Okay, dad; it's your turn."

Vincent was on square 46. He rolled the dice and got a four.

"I'm halfway there... again," he said as his piece landed on square 50. After a few more turns, Dawn made it to square 100.

"I win!" she cried happily. At that point, Dusk Charger and his two sisters, Twilight Sentry V and Violet Glow, walked into the room. Dawn was the first to notice her cousins.

"Hi, guys!" she waved. The young Sentry siblings waved back.

"Aunt Sunset," said Violet, "are you gonna tell us how you and uncle Vincent fell in love?"

"It was a very interesting period for us after the holidays," said Sunset. "Vincent, dear, why don't you start things off?"

"Don't mind if I do," said Vincent. And here's the story he told...

* * *

 **DECEMBER 31, 2013**

It was mere minutes before the new year 2014. Many people were gathered outside of Town Hall to celebrate. The person in charge of Rainbow Falls was Mayor Marion Weseluck. She was in her late-forties with phthalo blue eyes behind her yellow-rimmed glasses, light cornflower bluish gray hair with a lighter streak (which was dyed), and she wore a pale, light grayish amber suit with a dark turquoise neck tie. She looked proper and dignified.

Among his small group of friends, Vincent was bundled up in a dark blue jacket with a dark red wool-knitted hat, thick black gloves, and a scarf that was canary yellow and black. It was very cold out here, and Vincent harbored a deep resentment for snow.

"Bothersome snow," he grumbled.

"Why do you hate snow?" asked Fluttershy.

"Apart from being silly soft stuff," said Vincent, "it can cause havoc if you're outside. It takes a lot of physical and mental effort just to go somewhere!"

"I think snow can be beautiful," said Sunset, "as long as there's not too much of it."

"That may be," said Vincent, "but it's still dangerous if we're not careful." He was about to head over to the snack table before, with a cry, he slipped on some ice and landed on his rear end.

"...just like that," he groaned.

"Let me help you up," offered Sunset. But as she walked over, she too slipped and landed right on top of Vincent!

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she cried.

"Erm, it-it's alright," said Vincent, blushing madly. Suddenly, both friends began to laugh.

"You two alright?" asked Flash as he walked up to them.

"As fine as we can be," said Vincent.

"Though we are a bit stuck," added Sunset. Flash helped the two back to their feet.

"Thanks," said Vincent. "Like I said; snow can be dangerous."

"I think we got the point, Vinnie," Sunset said, giggling a bit at her pet name for him.

"Yeah, well, it's only a couple of minutes until the New Year," said Flash. "The mayor will be announcing the countdown any second."

The trio then walked carefully to where a crowd was gathered around Mayor Weseluck's podium. A digital clock was set next to her to countdown the seconds to the new year.

"Ladies and gentlemen," she announced to the crowd, "it gives me pleasure to announce that it is now the time to count down to the New Year!"

Everyone cheered, and then the countdown began.

"60... 59... 58... 57..."

* * *

Whilst many people were at Town Hall to celebrate the New Year, there were some people who preferred to sleep in. Among those people was Cranky Doodle, a grumpy teacher at Canterlot High. His eyes were pale arctic blue and at one point, he had dark grayish blue violet hair; since balding, he had worn a toupee of the same color. Cranky Doodle groggily got out of bed just to open up a window.

"Hey! Keep it down!" he barked. "I'm trying to get some sleep!"

But it was no use; nobody could hear him. Annoyed, Cranky Doodle shut the window and climbed back into bed, clutching his pillow to cover his ears with.

"Kids these days..." he muttered. "No respect for their elders, honestly!"

* * *

"...26... 25... 24... 23..."

"Vincent," asked Sunset, "what's your resolution for New Year's?"

"My resolution?" asked Vincent. His resolution was to tell Sunset how he felt about her, but was afraid she might reject his feelings.

"...fifteen... fourteen... thirteen..."

"I'm not sure what my resolution is," said Vincent at last. "What about yours, Sunset?"

"...seven... six..."

"Well..." said Sunset, before deciding, "my resolution is to..."

"...one! **HAPPY NEW YEAR**!"

Fireworks were then set off and launched into the sky, meaning Vincent couldn't hear what Sunset had said; perhaps it was a good thing that he hadn't.

"Sorry, what was that you said?" Vincent shouted over the fireworks. "I didn't catch that!"

Sunset blushed slightly before saying, "Let's just enjoy the celebrations, shall we?"

"Of course," said Vincent. "Resolutions can wait for now."

 _Darn it!_ Sunset thought unhappily. _I could have told him my feelings..._

Still, Vincent and Sunset enjoyed the celebrations (the same couldn't be said for poor Cranky Doodle) but they couldn't stay out all night; they went home by 1:30 in the morning.

* * *

When Vincent next awoke, it was almost half past ten. Yawning, he stumbled out of bed and went to the kitchen, making himself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. Vincent had no idea how long Flash had been at the party, but he figured he must've stayed there until at least five. He wasn't wrong; Flash was passed out on the couch, and wearing a lady's dress.

"What's with Flash, dad?" asked Vincent.

"He got drunk at last night's party," said Page, sounding annoyed. "Flash isn't even twenty-one yet! It's situations like these which makes me wish for Lullaby to be there for her kids."

"But what about Cindy?" asked Vincent. "She's not my mother, I know that, but she's the next best thing, especially with how she handled First Base and Scootaloo for almost fourteen years."

"Sure, but they live apart from us," reminded Page. Pointing his thumb at Flash, he added, "Do you think you can deal with that in the bathroom?"

"Will do, pop," said Vincent. With a bit of struggling, Vincent managed to drag his passed out brother into the bathroom. Once Flash was lying in the tub, Vincent turned on the shower. Cold water sprayed onto Flash, quickly waking him up.

"YEEEOOOOWWW!" he cried as he quickly stood up. "That's cold!"

"Good morning, sleepyhead," said Vincent innocently.

"Vincent?!" Before Flash could scold his brother, he looked down and saw the dress he was wearing.

"What... the... crap am I wearing?"

"It's called a dress, Flash."

"I know what it is!" snapped Flash. "Why am I wearing it?!"

"Dad said you got drunk at the New Year's celebration last night," explained Vincent. "Do you remember anything?"

"Well..." said Flash, wincing a bit from the cold water, "there was this woman with thick make up... but I don't remember what happened next."

"You didn't get her pregnant did you?!" cried Vincent, scared of the thought of being an uncle at seventeen.

"No! It didn't go _that_ far," said Flash. Vincent sighed with relief. "But I think it had something to do with an octopus and a turkey... I don't remember anything about last night at all, Vincent."

"Well, do you think you could get rid of that dress?" asked Vincent. "Green doesn't really suit you at all."

Flash took off the clothes he was wearing and handed them over to Vincent, who left the bathroom as he didn't want to be near his brother whilst stark.

Eventually, Flash was showered and more sober than he'd been that morning. Page Turner made sure to give him a lecture about being responsible.

"I am very disappointed in you, Flash Sentry," he scolded. "Getting drunk at nineteen? You know better than that!"

"But how come British kids are allowed to drink at eighteen and American kids have to wait till they're twenty-one?" asked Flash.

"The British don't always do things better," said Page. "Their drinking laws are quite skewed from what I've heard."

"I'll tell you what," said Flash. "The next time I even consider drinking is the day pigs fly."

"Much as I'm glad to hear this," said Page, "I'm afraid I can't let this incident slide, Flash. You'll be taking out the garbage for the next two weeks."

"Fair enough," sighed Flash. With that said and done, Flash began preparing himself some breakfast. All he had was some milk and toast with jam.

"You feeling better, Flash?" asked Vincent, having just come out of the shower himself.

"Much," said Flash. "You're not telling anyone about this, are you?"

"No, I'm keeping my mouth shut about it," said Vincent. "It'd be embarrassing for us if it got out."

"Got that right," said Flash. There was a pause before Vincent spoke up again.

"I had this dream last night," he said.

"What dream?" asked Flash.

"It was about Sunset," Vincent explained, "and... well, it was kind of in a world where I wasn't born."

"What was it like?"

"It was awful!" cried Vincent, looking distressed. "Sunset suffered more from being bullied by Starlight and Trixie, and without me around to save her from herself, she... she..." Vincent was so upset, he could hardly finish his sentence. Flash could tell what his brother was trying to say, and put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright, Vincent," he said. "It was just a nightmare."

"...I'm in love with Sunset," Vincent managed to choke out. "I can't picture life without her..."

Flash stayed quiet for a minute to think about the entire situation; he knew for ages that Vincent had a crush on Sunset. At first, he thought it was merely a childish crush, but when Sunset blurted out loud that she loved Vincent, _that_ was what cemented it to Flash. And the more he thought about it, the guiltier he felt for trying to split them up. It was obvious to Flash that Vincent and Sunset were meant for each other.

"Have you told Sunset how you feel about her?" he suggested.

"I wanted to last night," Vincent admitted, "but I balked."

"It'll be fine, Vincent," assured Flash. "There's no reason to rush things."

"Thanks, Flash," said Vincent. "I wonder if Sunset feels the same way for me."

"I guess you'll have to see for yourself," said Flash. With that, the two brothers sat down for breakfast. _It's best to let Vincent and Sunset work this out for themselves,_ Flash thought to himself. _I've done enough damage as it is..._

* * *

After breakfast, Vincent headed out. He had promised to meet with Sunset later on by the waterfall. Vincent wasn't entirely sure why Sunset wanted to meet up there. Still, he was certain he'd eventually find out once they were together, and it wasn't long before Sunset herself arrived.

"Hi, Vincent," she greeted. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Y-yeah," said Vincent, slightly shivering. "S-same here. So, why'd you pick this place to hang out?"

"This is the spot where you saved me from the path I was going down when I was being bullied," explained Sunset.

"So, it's kind of become a special spot for us both?" asked Vincent.

"You could say that. Erm... Vincent...?"

"Yeah, Sunset?"

"Have you... ever been in love?"

Vincent blushed. "Erm..." he said, trying to come up with an answer. "I suppose I have..." he said at last. "Why do you ask, Sunset?"

"Because..." Sunset plucked up courage. "Because I love you!"

Vincent's eyes widened and his face went as red as an apple. He didn't know what to say. Sunset looked away slightly and blushed as well, asking herself why she had to say that out loud. Still, was it worth the risk, she thought?

"You... love me...?" Vincent whispered quietly.

"Yes. I've wanted to confess sooner, but I was always too afraid."

"I... I felt that way too..."

"Really?" asked Sunset.

"Y-yes..." said Vincent. "Yes, I have."

Hearing those words made Sunset feel so happy that she grabbed Vincent and kissed him. Vincent blushed redder still; Sunset giggled slightly seeing his reaction, and hoped he'd feel the same way too.

"I love you too, Sunset," said Vincent, "but... erm..."

"What is it, Vincent?" asked Sunset, sounding confused. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not so sure about starting a relationship."

"But... but why?" asked Sunset, feeling a bit hurt.

"I'm sorry I upset you," Vincent apologized. "It's just that I'm worried about a full commitment. What if something goes wrong?"

"I... I understand," sighed Sunset. "I'm sorry if I tried forcing this upon you."

"It's alright," said Vincent, kissing Sunset on the cheek. "Maybe some day, we'll be comfortable enough to have a relationship."

"Yeah," agreed Sunset. "But for now, I'm happy we still get to be friends."

The two then sat down on a bench to enjoy their surroundings.

"Vincent," said Sunset, "last night, you said snow was bad and yet last year we had a bit of a snowball fight. Why the change in attitude towards snow?"

"I kind of wanted to amuse myself by throwing a bit of snow at you," Vincent admitted. "But then you shoved it into my face." Sunset giggled innocently. What Vincent didn't know was that she had a snowball behind her back.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked, pointing in another direction.

"Where?"

 _Splat!_ He felt the snowball hit him. Vincent turned to face Sunset, trying to keep a straight face.

"You bacon-haired sneak..." he grinned.

He scooped up a snowball of his own and threw it at Sunset in retaliation. It hit her square in the face.

"This means war!" she laughed as she reloaded her ammunition. "As aunt Luna would say, the fun has been doubled!" The two carried on with their snowball fight, happily enjoying the fun they had shared together.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Mayor Marion Weseluck is Mayor Mare; her last name is based off her voice actress Cathy Weseluck.**

 **Vincent references _Thomas, Terence and the Snow_.**

 **Sunset quotes _Luna Eclipsed_.**


	2. SLS2 - Let Me Roll It

Here we go with chapter two of Silly Love Songs - this one features a well-known deep cut by Wings that many claim sounds like something John Lennon could've written himself.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 2 - Let Me Roll It (McCartney, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

 **EARLIER THAT SAME DAY**

Sunset yawned as she got out of bed. Like Vincent, she too had a pretty rough sleep. At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

"Sunset, are you up?" asked Celestia.

"Y-yeah, mom," said Sunset, trying not to yawn. "What's the time...?"

"It's almost eleven, Sunset."

"Eleven?!" gasped Sunset as she fell onto the floor. "Holy crap, I overslept!" Sunset stumbled to her feet and ran to the shower, but not without a quick "good morning" to Celestia.

Once she was all showered and dressed, Sunset made herself some cereal for breakfast.

"Got any plans for the New Year, Sunset?" asked Solar Crystal, her younger foster sister, and daughter of Celestia and her husband Sombra.

"I've asked Vincent to hang out with me by the waterfall," said Sunset.

"What, is that guy your boyfriend?" asked Solar sarcastically.

"Sh-shut up!" snapped Sunset, blushing madly. "Vincent and I are just friends!"

"That's not what I heard," Solar smirked. "Were you dreaming about him last night?"

Sunset was about to tell Solar that it was none of her business, when she suddenly remembered a dream she had last night.

"I... did," she said at last. "Except it wasn't a happy one. It was about a world where I hadn't been born, and Vincent... was alone and unhappy."

Solar felt a little bad for teasing her now.

"Oh," she said quietly.

"It's alright," said Sunset, knowing Solar was about to apologize. "You weren't to know." The two foster siblings were quiet for another minute; their bond wasn't as strong as Vincent's and Fictionary's, but they still cared for one another nonetheless.

At that moment, Sombra came into the kitchen.

"Morning, children," he greeted.

"Oh, hey, dad," said Solar flatly.

"Morning, So- I mean, dad," Sunset corrected herself; she was still getting used to having a foster father.

"Have a good night's sleep?" asked Sombra.

"Not really," said Sunset. And she told Sombra about her nightmare.

"I'm so sorry you dreamed that," said Sombra comfortingly.

"Have you ever had bad dreams like that?" asked Sunset.

"I have," said Sombra. "It shortly after I left Rainbow Falls; I was afraid Celestia and the then-unborn Solar would get hurt by my ruthless father."

"No!" cried Sunset in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so," sighed Sombra. "The nightmares got so bad that I was almost driven to suicide."

"But what stopped you?" asked Sunset.

"Your foster mother."

"But she wasn't there with you...?"

"Heh. No. Not physically, at least," Sombra explained. "No, Celestia was with me in my mind. I imagined her at my funeral with a baby bundle, sobbing about how I was lost to her forever. I couldn't bear to hurt her like that. But I knew that if I went back to her, there was a chance my father would track me there and kill her."

"That's awful!" cried Sunset. "I'm sorry you had to go through this."

"It's alright, Sunset," said Sombra, putting a hand on her shoulder. In the last few months that she'd known him, Sunset saw Sombra as though he were a close duplicate of her deceased father Noble Shield.

"Well," said Sombra, "I must be off. Have a good day." With that, Sombra left. When he was out of the room, Sunset turned to Solar Crystal.

"What's with you and dad?" asked Sunset.

"He abandoned mom when she was pregnant with me," protested Solar.

"He did it to protect you," insisted Sunset. "He didn't want to, but if he didn't, it would put mom at risk of being killed, and you never would have been born at all."

"Rubbish," snorted Solar. "He probably just didn't want to take the responsibility of taking care of me."

"Well, maybe you should get to know him better," said Sunset.

"Even if I did, it won't take away that he wasn't there for me for sixteen years."

"You're just determined to hold onto this grudge, aren't you?" asked Sunset, losing her patience. Solar Crystal didn't say a word, and left the room. Sunset sighed and looked down, defeated.

"Why does she have to be so bullheaded and stubborn?" she asked to no one in particular. Then suddenly, she remembered something.

"I gotta meet up with Vincent!"

* * *

 **RIGHT NOW**

Vincent and Sunset didn't know how long their snowball fight lasted, but both were starting to feel exhausted.

"Alright, Sunset," panted Vincent, throwing his snowball a rather limp five feet from him. "You win."

"That's another victory for Double S," giggled Sunset.

"How do you manage to do it?" asked Vincent, sitting next to her.

"Back in my darkest days," explained Sunset, "I would throw stuff at dummies and pretended it was Starlight and Trixie."

"Really?" asked Vincent. "You must've been really good at it."

"Took quite a lot of practice," said Sunset. "And it was good for to me to vent my frustrations."

"A good point," said Vincent. Both sat in silence for a few minutes before Sunset spoke up again.

"I had fun seeing you today," she said.

"Yeah, same here, Sunny," said Vincent, taking hold of her hand. This caused Sunset to blush. Both looked at each other and leaned closer as if they were going to kiss. Suddenly, a phone went off. Vincent pulled his phone out of his pocket to see that he'd gotten a text message.

"It's Flash," said Vincent. "It's his turn with groceries and he's asking if I need anything. No, I'm good," he said, replying to his brother's text. "Now, where were we again?" asked Vincent, having just posted his reply.

Sunset blushed madly again.

"I... I just remembered," she said. "I've to take out the garbage today. So, er, I'll see you around...?" With that, Sunset took off.

"Um, okay, Sunset," said Vincent as she left. "I understand... I guess...?" Seeing that there was no reason for him to hang around, he headed off for home as well.

* * *

 **JANUARY 3, 2014**

Sunset was running as fast as her feet could let her. Her guitar was strapped to her back, and she was making her way to Sweet Apple Acres where she and the rest of the Rainbooms - Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie - would be recording some of the songs they auditioned back in the summer of 2013. Very recently, what was now called Sweet Apple Recording Acres had been given some recording equipment so the Rainbooms could put their music down to tape. Some protested that it would've been cheaper to simply rent a studio for about $50 an hour, but still, it would do the job.

By the time Sunset finally turned up, it was only Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie that were already there.

"Phew... hey there... girls," said Sunset, gasping for breath. "I'm not late... am I...?"

"Naw, yer actually on time, Sunset," said Applejack. "Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash ought to be here any minute. In the meantime, why don't we tune up our instruments?"

"Already done!" said Pinkie, who then did a drum fill. Her kit had been set up at the studio so she wouldn't have to lug it around between here and her family's rock farm. Rarity's keyboard, although not as awkward or time-consuming to set up, was also based at the studio. ("I would've preferred a keytar myself," she admitted.)

Still, whilst they waited for Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, the present Rainbooms decided to jam a little by covering some of their favorite artists - David Bowie, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, you name it. Whilst they were in the middle of "Here Comes My Girl," Fluttershy turned up with her tambourine.

"Oh, I'm sorry for being late," said Fluttershy. "I was on my way when I saw a family of kittens who were too adorable for me to pass up."

"That's all right, Fluttershy," said Rarity. "You're here, and that's what matters."

"Eeyup," agreed Applejack. "We're givin' ourselves a bit of a warm up whilst we're waiting for Rainbow Dash."

"What's taking her so long?" asked Pinkie. "We've got some songs to practice!"

The first song the Rainboms did with Fluttershy was, appropriately, "Mr. Tambourine Man." A few songs later, Rainbow Dash finally turned up with her guitar.

"Look what the cat dragged in," said Applejack.

"My bike got a flat tire when I hit a stone in the road," explained Rainbow Dash. "Took me ages to fix the darn thing, and in the freezing snow! I like things to be cooler, but that wasn't what I had in mind."

"Well, at least you're here now," said Fluttershy. Without a reply, Rainbow Dash unpacked her guitar, plugged in and started playing the chords to "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," with the rest of the band following her lead.

The Rainbooms had made it clear that they wanted no outside producers or listeners whilst they were practicing; just the six girls themselves. In-between songs, they'd talk about the music they loved listening to. Right now, Rarity was talking about the solo career of Paul McCartney.

"Oh, he was certainly understated back in the 1970s," she told Sunset. "Paul's songwriting might not have been as memorable when he was a Beatle, but he could still hold a solid tune."

"I bet Vincent would go on for hours about the Beatles," said Sunset. "They may not be my most favorite band in the world, but I get why he likes them."

"I read somewhere saying that Paul dude died back in 1966," said Rainbow Dash.

"Don't believe everythin' ya hear, Dash," said Applejack. "It's all a load of baloney if ya ask me. Ya'll never find any other bassist like James Paul McCartney."

"Speaking of," said Sunset, "why don't we try one of his solo songs? What's the one that sounds like a 1970s Beatles song?"

"I know this one," said Rarity, playing a few chords on her keyboard. "I think Math Equation told me about it - it's called 'Let Me Roll It'."

Rarity then began to play the intro of the song, with Applejack and Pinkie as backup on bass and drums, respectively. After about half a minute, Sunset then played a guitar riff that would be repeated whilst she sang the lead vocals:

" _You gave me something I understand  
You gave me loving in the palm of my hand_

 _I can't tell you how I feel_  
 _My heart is like a wheel_  
 _Let me roll it, let me roll it to you_  
 _Let me roll it, let me roll it to you..._ "

There was a brief solo before Sunset sang again:

" _I want to tell you and now's the time  
I want to tell you that you're going to be mine_

 _I can't tell you how I feel_  
 _My heart is like a wheel_  
 _Let me roll it, let me roll it to you_  
 _Let me roll it, let me roll it to you..._ "

Then there was another solo, this one lasting for about half a minute with the same guitar riff being repeated.

" _I can't tell you how I feel  
My heart is like a wheel  
Let me roll it, let me roll it to you  
Let me roll it, let me roll it to you..._"

Once again, the riff was played as the song's outro before Sunset stopped after another half minute.

"Do you girls feel it's time to start working on our own songs?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah, I think we're just about ready," said Rainbow Dash. "What do you say, girls?"

"Sounds fun!" giggled Pinkie Pie.

"Sure, Ah'm up fer it," said Applejack.

"Positively delightful, darling," said Rarity.

"Yay," said Fluttershy quietly, which was taken by the group as a yes.

The first song the Rainbooms voted to work on was one of Rarity's compositions, "Dance Magic." Sunset had helped Rarity out with the verses whilst Pinkie wrote the middle eight. Rarity had initially written the tune with a disco theme in mind, but it eventually evolved into having more of a pop rock sound. It had taken the Rainbooms five attempts before they got to a take that Rarity liked best.

"How'd we do?" asked Applejack once playback had finished.

"Fantastic!" cried Rarity. "We could make a music video for it one day."

"We'd probably need the right crew for it," said Sunset. She then turned to Fluttershy; the sixteen-year-old Indian girl hadn't spoken that much during the sessions apart from providing backing vocals.

"What's with Fluttershy?" asked Sunset to Applejack.

"It... kinda has to do with Big Mac," Applejack explained, trying her best not to upset Fluttershy in front of the others.

"It's okay, Applejack," said Fluttershy. "But things didn't work out between me and Big Mac."

"Why not?" asked Sunset.

"He fell in love with this girl named Sugar Belle."

"Oh," said Sunset. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's okay," said Fluttershy. "He and I still agreed to be just friends."

"Well, that's good to hear," said Rainbow Dash, but before she could continue, Pinkie interrupted.

"Speaking of love, how are you and Soarin getting on?"

"Let's just move onto another song," snapped Rainbow Dash, noticing that Pinkie and Applejack were trying to stifle some giggles.

"Rainbow Dash, don't you want to talk about it?" asked Sunset.

"No!" snapped Rainbow Dash.

"Denial is a river in Africa," joked Pinkie.

"I said, no! Now shut it!" snapped Rainbow Dash.

"Jeez, Dash!" exclaimed Applejack. "No need to be so blunt."

The next song being practiced on was one Applejack began called "Friendship Through the Ages." As they began their first take, Sunset's mind was on the conversation - and subsequent teasing toward Rainbow Dash - they just had.

 _What if things really don't work out between me and Vincent?_ she thought worriedly. _What if we aren't good enough for each other? What if he goes for that... that big belly bimbo known as Blossomforth...?_

"Hey, Sunset!" called a voice.

"Wha-? Um, yeah, Pinkie?" asked Sunset. "What is it?"

"Did you wanna get some lunch?"

"Oh! Um... sure. What'd you have in mind?"

"I was thinking pizza." The other Rainbooms all responded positively to Pinkie's idea, and on that note, they headed off together.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **The first segment takes place at the same time as Vincent and Flash's scene in the previous chapter. The second and third take place immediately after the previous chapter as well.**


	3. SLS3 - One Day (At a Time)

Here's chapter three!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 3 - One Day (At a Time) (Lennon, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

The school year at Canterlot High School resumed on January 6. Many students were not too happy at having to return to school, mostly because of the weather; it was possibly the coldest January they could ever remember. An orange-haired freshman with brown eyes named Snipsy Snap - better known as Snips - was stupid enough to put his tongue on the flagpole and couldn't remove it. His best friend Snailsquirm - also known as Snails - didn't know how to help him; he had dark fuchsia eyes and turquoise hair.

At that moment, one of the teachers, Octavia Melody, came over to see what the problem was, and she was shocked at the sight.

"What on earth were you two thinking?!" she scolded. Because Snips couldn't speak properly with his tongue stuck on the flagpole, Snails did most of the talking.

"We wanted to see what would happen if you licked a frozen pole," he explained. "I didn't think Snips would get his tongue stuck."

Octavia sighed with annoyance; why Celestia allowed these two morons at CHS, she'd never know.

"I'll go get help," she said. "Don't do anything else stupid while I'm gone." Easier said than done, because when Octavia returned with Discord (holding some hot water in a plastic cup) and Nurse Snowheart, Snails had stuck his tongue on the flagpole as well.

"You have got to be kidding me," groaned Octavia as she facepalmed. "I thought I told you both not to do anything stupid!"

"Perhaps Snips thought you were talking to Snails," said Discord, a bit amused by what he had seen. He instantly shut up when Octavia shot him a dirty look.

"This is serious," she insisted.

"Boys, I want you to keep calm," said Nurse Snowheart. Snips and Snails immediately obeyed. "First, I need you both to remain calm and take deep breaths."

Snips tried to say, "What good will that do, Nurse?" But his speech was garbled due to his tongue sticking out.

"Just do as I say," said Nurse Snowheart, and so the boys did. "Mr. Discord, would you hand me that hot water?"

"Of course," said Discord. Snips and Snails yelped at the sound of hot water being poured onto their tongues.

"Don't freak out," assured Nurse Snowheart. "This will help unfreeze the saliva that's connecting your tongue to the flagpole."

Very gently, Nurse Snowheart poured a bit of hot water onto where Snips' tongue was attached to the pole. It took a few minutes, but at last, Snips was free.

"There you go," said Nurse Snowheart once Snails' tongue was free as well. "Now promise not do this again."

"I don't want to lose my tongue," said Snails, and then he and Snips walked away. Vincent and Sunset had seen the incident from the statue where they stood nearby.

"I honestly wouldn't hire them to cook me a meal," said Sunset.

"I wouldn't even trust them to wash a car," added Vincent. "Heck, they'd be a disaster on a movie set or the mall!" The two laughed.

"We'd better get ready for class," said Sunset. "I'll race ya to the the building!" And faster than you can say "Waterfall Prism," she bolted to the stairs.

"Sunset, look out!" called Vincent. "There's an ice patch-"

But he never got to finish, as Sunset tripped on an ice patch she didn't see and banged her shin below the knee against the stairs. Sunset cried out in pain as she rolled over to sit on the stairs. She rolled up her right pant leg and saw that her shin was bleeding from the impact. Sunset looked as if she was about to cry when Vincent carefully walked up to her to see if she was alright.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm f-f-fine," Sunset whimpered. "B-but I scraped my knee...!"

"Here, let me help you," said Vincent as he took off his backpack.

He unzipped the front-most pouch and dug out a small pack of tissues. He pulled out two and then unscrewed his water bottle, pouring a small amount onto the tissues to make them damp. Then, Vincent began dabbing Sunset's knee with the tissues to soak up the dripping blood. Sunset winced at first from pain, but as Vincent continued to treat her knee, the less pain she felt. Some students walking past observed the scene for a bit before continuing to their classes, but all made sure to walk around Vincent and Sunset.

"Does it feel better, sweetie?" asked Vincent softly. He might not have meant to call her "sweetie", but Sunset blushed at Vincent's kindness.

"Y-y-yes," she said at last, giggling a little. "Thank you."

"Might want to keep that leg rolled up," said Vincent, standing up and putting his backpack on again. "Do you think you'll be able to walk to the nurse's office?"

Sunset nodded bravely.

* * *

They soon found the nurse's office, and luckily for both, they didn't have to wait too long before Nurse Snowheart could tend to Sunset's scraped knee. As the bandage was applied, Sunset told the nurse about how Vincent treated her wound.

"I'm sure being a doctor isn't part of his future plans," said Nurse Snowheart, "but it was very kind of you, Vincent, to help her out."

"Oh, it was nothing," he said modestly.

"That wasn't nothing," said Sunset. "That showed how much you care for me." Vincent blushed a little at that remark, and more so as she took his hand and held it in hers.

"Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" asked Nurse Snowheart.

"Well..." said Vincent, blushing nervously.

"Yes... and no," said Sunset, also blushing. "We love each other, but we're not in a relationship... yet."

"Well, I heard there's a Valentine's Day Formal being arranged," said Nurse Snowheart. "Maybe you could both go together."

"Is that when the Rainbooms play for the crowd?" asked Vincent.

"We do," said Sunset. "I spoke with my mom about it and she was supportive about the band taking off."

"You girls must've been practicing a lot," said Vincent.

"Thanks," said Sunset. "Do you think we'll look great on stage?"

"I'm sure of it, Sunset."

"Okay, Miss Shimmer," said Nurse Snowheart. "Your leg is all bandaged up, and it should take at least a week to heal. Just take it easy when you're walking."

"I will. Thank you, Nurse Snowheart."

Vincent offered to walk her to her first class of the day, which was chemistry.

"I can't thank you enough for helping me this morning, Vincent," said Sunset, and gave him a hug, before kissing him on the cheek. Both blushed red once again.

"You're very welcome, darling," smiled Vincent, stroking her hair for a bit. Sunset stifled a giggle. She let go of Vincent and walked inside the classroom.

As she sat down at her desk, Sunset couldn't help but sigh romantically. Vincent had been so kind to her that morning that it made her love for him stronger than before. She felt her heart beating faster than normal, and wondered if she and Vincent should have a relationship of their own.

* * *

Outside, Vincent was lost in his own world as well. Sunset had actually kissed him, and he touched the cheek where she kissed and felt his heart beating faster as well. He looked up at the clock and suddenly snapped out of his fantasy; it was two minutes before his first class, English and writing, and he shot off like a jackrabbit. Vincent found the classroom door and made it with thirty seconds to spare.

"Are you alright, Vincent?" asked Song Cue once he'd caught his breath.

"Yeah," said Vincent. He then quickly explained what had happened.

"I'm glad to hear that Sunset's okay," sighed Song Cue. She then gave a playful giggle. "So, are you an item yet?"

"Well... sort of," said Vincent, but before he could continue, their teacher, Written Script, addressed the classroom.

"Good morning, students," he said, "and welcome back. How was your winter vacation?" The students all gave eager nods and a rouse of chatter erupted from them.

"Okay, one at a time," chuckled Written Script.

"Let's talk about this later," whispered Vincent to Song Cue. She gave a nod, and turned her attention to the teacher.

"What did you get up to during winter break, Miss Cue?" asked Written Script.

"Oh, Comet Tail came by to my house for a few days," she smiled. "We made some more models for my Railway Series layout. Some modified versions of Caitlin and Connor as British engines, actually."

"She still likes that baby TV show?!" one of the students retorted.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with liking a show meant for kids!" retorted Vincent. "How would you like it if someone mocked you for liking a show made for little girls?"

"Vincent's right," said Written Script. "If anything, Song Cue's shown to be rather dedicated to the original source material for giving Connor and Caitlin proper British bases."

The heckling student knew he couldn't win this argument, and so he stayed respectably silent. Written Script then got the other students to tell each other their experiences over the break, but had the heckling student go outside the classroom for a few minutes while this was going on.

* * *

Soon, it was the lunch period. Now Vincent could give Song Cue - as well as her boyfriend Comet Tail - the full scoop on what was going on between himself and Sunset.

"So, what's the story between the two of you?" asked Comet.

"You already know about the struggle she went through with Starlight and Trixie right?" asked Vincent. "And not to mention the bullying she suffered from Icy Heart."

Both Comet and Song Cue nodded.

"Well, the thing is," said Vincent, "me and Sunset... admitted our love to one another by the waterfall."

"Aww," sighed Comet. "That's so sweet."

"Yeah," said Vincent, blushing. "But... I don't know if we want to be committed to a long-term relationship."

"It's just one step at a time," Song Cue reminded him. "Just go at your own pace."

"Thanks, Songs," smiled Vincent. "Though I wonder if Sunset's doing alright."

Sunset was at another table with the Rainbooms. They were making arrangements for when they were available to practice after school. Right now, Rarity was attending Rainbow Falls University and couldn't come, but had told the others in advance what her plans were for the next several weeks.

"Some shoppin' trips, hangin' out wi' Math Equation in between college courses," said Applejack. "She really knows how ta plan ahead."

"So which days are all of us open?" asked Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash had a calendar for January and February and had written down when each member was busy.

"So far, we're all free on Saturdays," said Rainbow Dash. "I figure it's best to let the others know through text messaging when we're available. You never know if plans in our lives suddenly change."

But Sunset's mind wasn't on band practice; she was holding one of her notebooks and drawing an outline picture of herself and Vincent kissing.

"Uh, Sunset?" asked Pinkie. Sunset let out a startled scream and hastily closed her notebook.

"I didn't do it!" she cried in alarm. The others looked at her in confusion.

"Are... you okay?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Oh yeah, I'm totally fine!" replied Sunset, bearing a fish-eating grin. It was obviously a fake smile, but no one dared to comment on that.

"Alright then," said Applejack, breaking the awkward silence. "Now, let's try an' figure out when we record whose songs..."

* * *

For the rest of the week, Sunset was deeply lost in her thoughts. All she could think about was Vincent, and it was causing her to become rather clumsy and easily distracted. As she went to her next class, she started bumping into passing students.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," said Sunset sheepishly. Suddenly, she bumped into another student and dropped all of her things onto the floor.

"Oh, shoot!" she snapped with annoyance.

"Do you need help, Sunset?" asked a familiar voice. Sunset looked and saw Vincent standing over her with his hand out.

"Oh, yes, I do need your help," she said, blushing madly. "My notebooks have spilled all over the floor..." So Vincent helped Sunset pick up her notebooks.

"Thanks," said Sunset, and then quickly raced off before Vincent could reply.

"Um... you're welcome...?" _What was that all about?_ Vincent thought to himself.

"She was probably feeling tense about schoolwork," he said, shrugging the encounter off. Vincent was partially correct about Sunset feeling tense, but it wasn't about schoolwork.

 _Ohmygoshhessocuteandkind!_ Sunset thought over and over. For no apparent reason, she began giggling to herself. Some students heard her and were concerned that she might be going slightly mad.

"What's so funny?" asked Indigo Wreath. "What're ye laughin' at?"

"Oh, it's... erm, this really funny joke I heard in a movie," said Sunset. "I don't remember what it was though."

"Well, if ye're sure then," Indigo replied. After Sunset carried on her way, Indigo's girlfriend, Watermelody, spoke to him.

"I think I know what zis is all about," she said. "She's clearly in love."

"But who with?" asked Indigo.

"It must be Vincent," said Watermelody. "I saw him treating Sunset's wound ze other day; he really must care for her."

When Sunset overheard that, her face blushed so red that it looked as though she swallowed a ghost pepper. Then suddenly, without warning, she screamed out loud...

" **I'M NOT IN LOVE WITH ANYBODY!** "

Then she covered her mouth in shock at what she had just blurted out. Now everyone was looking at her in surprise and confusion. Without another word, Sunset hastily ran off to her next class, leaving behind a crowd of very puzzled students. Just what was going on with Sunset Shimmer, they wondered? Surely she wasn't slipping back into her old habits... right?

Five certain girls were about twenty-four hours away from finding out...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Sunset and Vincent's remarks about Snips and Snails make several references to the EG series. The boys getting their tongues stuck on the flagpole is a reference to _A Christmas Story_.**

 **The ghost pepper is known as the Bhut jolokia; ranked at over a million Scoville heat units, it is one of the hottest chili peppers on the planet.**


	4. SLS4 - Silly Love Songs

Here's chapter four, and it's got the track named for the album's title!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 4 - Silly Love Songs (McCartney, 1976)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

 **JANUARY 11, 2014**

At Sweet Apple Acres, Big Macintosh was tending to his girlfriend, Sugar Belle. She was a beautiful young woman at nineteen-going-on-twenty with moderate cerise eyes and poofy moderate magenta hair tied up near the end with two ball-shaped hair clips; one light blue, and the other a very light gray. At this moment, the two were having a talk about different ways of making apple related treats.

"From what Ah've heard," said Big Mac, "if ya'll use wood from an apple tree in a wood burnin' stove, it'll add more apple flavor to what ya'll cook."

"Really?" asked Sugar Belle in amazement.

"Eeyup," replied Big Mac in his usual manner. "Granny Smith taught me that."

"So how has your sister's band been going?" asked Sugar Belle.

"They're doin' mighty fine," said Big Mac. "Though," he added with concern, "of her friends, Sunset Shimmer, ain't doin' so well from what Applejack tells me."

"What's wrong?"

But before Big Macintosh could reply, there was a loud scream coming from the barn where the music was being recorded.

"What was that?" cried Sugar Belle.

"Sounds lak trouble," said Big Mac. "We'd better go investigate."

* * *

 **A FEW MINUTES EARLIER**

"'My Past is Not Today' - take 23..." Flash groaned with dismay, and he used to find it a lovely song.

The Rainbooms were recording Sunset's composition "My Past is Not Today" - or at least, they were attempting to. For the first seven takes, Sunset found herself unable to play the correct chords on the piano because of shakiness in her hands; it had been loaned to them by Celestia and Sombra. Because of their familiarity with the accompaniment, the Rainbooms were almost certain they could've picked it out without Sunset's help; Rarity had even offered to play the piano in Sunset's place, but the latter had refused.

Poor Sunset Shimmer was looking pale and sick. In the last fifteen takes, she had been stumbling in her vocals; she'd forgotten a few lyrics in one take, and her voice cracked in another. It had become painful to watch and listen to for Song Cue and Comet Tail; they'd come to Sweet Apple Acres to listen to the Rainbooms practice, but seeing Sunset stumble was the last thing they wanted to see.

"Maybe we should try this again when you're feeling better, darling," suggested Rarity.

"No," said Sunset. "I want to get this done today." And then she began to play the chords.

For take 23, things were looking up as Sunset got through the first verse and chorus, but after she'd finished the chorus, her voice began to quiver as she got to the second verse. Without warning, she stopped. Flash turned off the recorder so as not to waste valuable tape.

"Hey, Sunshim!" called Rainbow Dash. "You okay?"

There was no answer.

"Sunset?"

Suddenly, Sunset broke down sobbing in front of everybody in the room. Now everyone was worried for Sunset as she buried her face into hands as she cried uncontrollably.

Comet decided to see if Sunset needed help, but as he got closer to her, Sunset suddenly went berserk. She'd shoved Comet to the ground, picked up a stool and sent it flying towards a wall, fortunately not hitting Fluttershy as she'd ducked out of the way just in time.

But it didn't stop there as Sunset knocked over anything that got in her way; microphones, an amplifier, guitars, and even demolished Pinkie's drum kit right in front of her! The pink haired girl was not very happy about that at all.

"Hey!" cried Pinkie. "That took me an hour to set up!"

* * *

 **RIGHT NOW**

Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle had turned up just in time to see Sunset throwing a microphone in Rainbow Dash's way, but luckily, the rainbow haired girl ducked before she got hit. Then Sunset turned her anger towards the piano and began to punch and kick at it.

"What's going on in here?!" demanded Big Mac. "Does Sunset have rabies?"

"No, I don't think it's that," said Song Cue. "But whatever it is, it can't be good!"

"Ya'll got that right!" said Applejack, putting down her bass. She then grabbed Sunset around her chest and started to drag her away from the piano, and then out of the barn.

"Settle down, Sunset!" called Applejack. But she didn't. She broke free from Applejack's grip but then found herself in Big Macintosh's; he was much bigger and stronger, so escape for Sunset was futile.

"Let me go, you stupid hick!" Sunset screamed. "I'll kill you!" But Big Mac ignored her threats and dragged her as far from the barn he could into the cold weather. The wind hit them like a knife, but it wasn't enough to knock Sunset out of her spell; it was as if some demon was taking control of her and taunting her endlessly.

Eventually, Sunset was dragged to the outskirts of Sweet Apple Acres, and before she knew it, Applejack slapped her hard in the face, and Sunset's screams of rage turned into yelps of pain. After a few slaps, Sunset had finally calmed down and Big Mac let go of her. (Sugar Belle had stayed behind to make sure nobody had been hurt; no one was, thankfully, but they were shaken up.) Sunset sat on a nearby tree stump, and the oldest Apple siblings stayed close in case she did something crazy again.

* * *

"Why was she acting all crazy like that?" asked Rainbow Dash. She and the others were cleaning up the mess Sunset had caused; Pinkie was trying to reassemble her drum kit, but had forgotten how it was supposed to be put together.

"It'll take forever to put this back together," she groaned.

"I think I know what's up," said Flash, heading towards the door. "I'll be back in about a few... or longer, depending on what it takes."

* * *

Applejack and Big Macintosh were most relieved when Flash walked up. He turned to see Sunset sitting on the tree stump; she'd barely moved in the last ten minutes or so.

"Erm... you're not gonna climb a tree and try to jump off of it, are you?" asked Flash, hoping to strike some small talk.

"Wouldn't that be a way to end a day?" replied Sunset, not looking at Flash. "What's up with everyone?"

"They say you went insane and started throwing things," said Flash. "Why?"

Sunset blew some hair that had gotten into her face and rolled her eyes. "I dunno who the hell that was in the barn," she said, "but that person's in for trouble."

"What person?" But Sunset didn't answer Flash's question. After a few moments, Flash asked, "Is it because of... Vincent?"

Sunset looked up at Flash and responded with a rather blunt "yes" before looking back down again. Flash then decided to sit on the tree stump as well, facing away from Sunset. Neither looked at or spoke to one another for about fifteen minutes; despite the cold, they appreciated the silence. It felt like they were communicating telepathically and thinking about the same person.

"Did something happen between you and Vincent?" asked Flash finally.

"Nothing bad, thankfully," said Sunset. "I think it'd be best if I told everyone about it."

"Better than flipping out and throwing things at them," agreed Flash in a joking tone. Sunset just chuckled. With that, they went back up to the barn.

* * *

When they arrived, the others were still unhappy with Sunset's ruckus.

"Whoa," said Sunset. "I caused _that_ big a mess?"

"Yes, you did," replied Song Cue. "Don't you remember?"

"I think so," said Sunset.

"Well, why'd you suddenly go crazy on us?" asked Rainbow Dash. Sunset took a deep breath and spoke again to her friends.

"I was just feeling frustrated." she said. "You see... I'm in love with Vincent." Song Cue's expression suddenly went from annoyance to a mixture of understanding and surprise.

"The song we were working on was a subtle message to him," Sunset went on. "But I kept worrying that a relationship between us wouldn't work."

"And that's why you went crazy and started throwing our stuff?" asked Fluttershy.

Sunset sighed. "Yeah. Sorry about that."

"Sunset, I can understand how you feel," said Sugar Belle. "Before Big Mac and I started dating, I was worried a relationship between us wouldn't be able to work."

"What actually happened?" asked Sunset.

"This rather obnoxious guy named Feather Bangs started flirting with me."

"He wasn't too bad, was he?" asked Sunset.

"Nope," said Sugar Belle, imitating her boyfriend's way of responding.

"Him and me eventually argued fer Sugar Belle's hand," continued Big Mac. "And in the fight, we ended up wreckin' the shelf Sugar Belle was using for her sweets."

"I know what that's like," muttered Flash. "Except for the shelf thing."

"So how'd you end up together?" asked Sunset.

"While I was out shopping," said Sugar Belle, "Big Mac built me a brand new shelf that looked much more grand than my old one."

"Aww, that's really sweet of him to do that," said Sunset.

"Eeyup," smiled Big Mac.

"But what about Feather Bangs? How'd he take it?"

"He was pretty disappointed when he saw us at a table," said Sugar Belle.

"But then we suggested he try his luck on three ladies who had been in love with him all along," explained Big Mac. "And do ya'll know what we found out?"

"What's that?" asked Sunset. Big Mac couldn't contain a smirk.

"He was almost as bashful as Fluttershy!" Hearing this made the others laugh.

"He wasn't used to actually talking to girls," explained Sugar Belle. "That's why he acted so cool to try and impress them."

"Vincent never acted like a cool guy to try and impress me," said Sunset. "He always does what he can to help someone in need. Still," she said, looking at the lyrics sheet to "My Past is Not Today" and sighing, "how am I going to surprise him with this silly love song we can't even finish?"

"You think that people have just had enough of silly love songs?" asked Song Cue, having not spoken up until now. "I've looked around me and I see that isn't so." And then she began living up to her name:

" _Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs  
And what's wrong with that?  
I'd like to know  
'Cause here I go again..._"

* * *

At that moment, Vincent was at the local cafe, thinking about Sunset. He was using his phone to look at pictures taken of him and Sunset together; in almost all of them, they were smiling together.

 _I love you, Sunset,_ he thought to himself. _But I wish we could take a relationship seriously..._

As Vincent was thinking, he could hear music playing from the Jukebox. Paul McCartney's "Silly Love Songs" was playing and got to a set of lyrics which Vincent could right now relate to:

" _I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, now can't you see?  
Ah, she gave me more, she gave it all to me, now can't you see?  
What's wrong with that?  
I need to know  
'Cause here I go again..._"

* * *

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Song Cue had gotten to a verse which reminded her of her relationship with Comet Tail:

" _Love doesn't come in a minute  
Sometimes it doesn't come at all  
I only know that when I'm in it  
It isn't silly, no, it isn't silly, love isn't silly at all..._"

By this point, the Rainbooms (barring Sunset) were playing their instruments to go along with Song Cue's singing. Pinkie was only able to play her snare drum as her kit was still in pieces. Song Cue was dancing with Comet, as was Big Mac with Sugar Belle; Flash just sat there and recorded everything on tape. Soon enough, Sunset chimed in with a verse of her own whilst the Rainbooms chorused "she loves him" in the background:

" _I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say, can't you see?  
Ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say, can't you see?  
I can't explain, the feeling's plain to me, say, can't you see?  
Ah, he gave me more, he gave it all to me, say, can't you see?_"

* * *

Back to Vincent; he was just leaving the cafe and heading his way home, singing a verse of his own:

" _You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs  
But I look around me and I see it isn't so, oh no  
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs  
And what's wrong with that?_"

"Hey! Could you mind keeping your singing to yourself?"

Vincent snapped out of his singing mode and noticed many people looking at him as though he were stoned.

"We're not in a musical, you know!"

"Well, isn't that how we express our emotions?" Vincent retorted.

"Why don't ya buzz off, Mr. Singsong?"

"Fine! I was heading home anyway! Some people have no taste," Vincent muttered to himself. "I wonder how Sunset and her band are getting on..."

* * *

Back at Sweet Apple Acres, Song Cue had just finished her part of the song.

"You see?" she said. "Love songs aren't silly."

"See, Rainbow?" teased Sunset. "Told you Soarin would love your singing."

"I wouldn't be caught dead writing a love song!" protested Rainbow Dash. "Let alone a _silly_ one!" The rest of the Rainbooms just laughed.

"One o' these days, Dash, ya'll be eatin' yer words!" chuckled Applejack.

Eventually, Pinkie Pie's drum kit was reassembled and they got back to recording the 24th take of "My Past is Not Today." (By now, Big Macintosh and Sugar Belle had returned to the house.) The song had a piano intro which carried over onto the first verse and chorus. At the start of the second verse, the bass and drums came into play, and when the second chorus kicked in, Rainbow Dash played the guitar before delving into a solo based upon the verses, leading to a "Day in the Life"-styled outro with Sunset singing a third repeat of the chorus. It taken the band a couple of takes to complete it because Sunset had missed a couple of lines here and there, but take 26 was what they now called the definitive version.

Just then, Flash's phone went off.

"Hold on," he said. "I gotta take this." He took out his phone to see who it was. "Hello?"

" _Hey, Flash. It's Vincent._ "

"Oh hey, little brother. What's up?"

" _I just got home, Flash. How's recording getting on?_ "

"Oh, it was... eventful," said Flash.

" _Well, I heard they were doing a new song. Could I come by and hear it?_ "

"I'll ask the band first," said Flash. He looked up to the Rainbooms. "Vincent wants to know if he can stop by and listen to your new song."

"Sure thing!" said Pinkie.

"Come on over," said Flash.

" _I'll be there in about ten,_ " said Vincent.

"See you then," said Flash. With that, he hung up.

"You think he'll like it?" asked Sunset hopefully.

"I'm sure he will."

Within ten minutes, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it," said Rarity. As expected, it was Vincent waiting at the door.

"Trick or treat," he joked.

"Yer three months too late," replied Applejack.

"I know," said Vincent. "I was just being silly."

"Sounds like your silliness is rubbing off on him, Pinkie," remarked Sunset.

"Think I should be a teacher of silliness?" asked Pinkie. But no one really answered her question as they knew the reason Vincent was here.

"Flash says you want to hear our new song," said Fluttershy.

"That I do," said Vincent.

"Sunset wrote it herself," said Rarity. Sunset blushed a bit.

"I hope you like it," she said. "We just got it set up for playback." She went to a laptop computer she'd brought and began typing. Within seconds, the song began playing.

"This was incredible!" cried Vincent when the song was done. But before he could say more, Sunset was so happy to hear that Vincent loved her song that she hugged him and kissed him. This caused most of the girls to giggle. Sunset let go of Vincent and composed herself.

"Oh, it's not like you and Soarin had some sweet moments, eh?" she retorted. Once again, it was Rainbow Dash's turn to be on the receiving end of teasing. She was about to make a snappy comeback, but couldn't come up with anything and admitted defeat.

"Alright, fine!" she cried. "I'm dating Soarin! You happy now?!"

"Yes, but why are you so brash about it?" asked Sunset.

"If my family found out," said Rainbow Dash, "they'd never let me forget it."

"Oh, right," said Fluttershy, remembering the nature of Rainbow Dash's family.

"Don't be ashamed about being in love with Soarin, Dash," assured Sunset, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Being in love is a normal concept."

"How would _you_ know?" snapped Rainbow Dash, but not as harshly. Sunset motioned over to Vincent, who then walked over to her. Vincent then put his arm around Sunset and smiled at her. Song Cue couldn't help but giggle at the scene.

"Let's rock out some more!" suggested Pinkie Pie.

"Sounds lak a hoot," said Applejack. The other Rainbooms agreed, with Fluttershy once again last with a quiet "Yay!" With everyone agreeing to Pinkie's idea, the Rainbooms went back to playing music.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Sunset's outburst is based upon a Beatles alternate history book I've read called _The Death and Life of Mal Evans_ by Peter Lee.**

 **The sequence where Song Cue, Vincent and Sunset sing to "Silly Love Songs" is meant to play out a little like a Disney musical number.**


	5. SLS5 - Cheer Down

Here's chapter five, a long while after I initially planned for it to be posted. I just hope the next few chapters get posted sooner.

Also, if you're going to leave reviews, don't just say "great chapter" because reviews like that are worthless to me. What I'm asking for is that you give me pointers on what I'm getting right and wrong and how I can improve. Otherwise, how can I take your reviews seriously?

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 5 - Cheer Down (Harrison, 1989)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

After a couple of more hours at Sweet Apple Acres, Sunset finally returned to her home. It was getting close to dark, so Sunset was lucky she arrived home when she did; there would be a snowstorm soon at night. The first person to greet her home was Celestia.

"Welcome home, dear," she greeted. "How did today go?"

"I had a bit of a mental breakdown at band practice," said Sunset sheepishly.

"Are you alright now, sweetheart?" asked Celestia in concern.

"Yeah," said Sunset. "The reason I went mental was because I realized that I was in love with Vincent, but I was scared that we couldn't make a relationship work out." Sunset sighed and sat down on the nearby sofa, looking up at the ceiling.

"Sunset," comforted Celestia, "you're not the only one who has had fears like this." Hearing this made Sunset perk up.

"You mean... yourself and... dad?"

"Yes," said Celestia. "It was shortly after my fifteenth birthday..."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 26, 1986**

Celestia was talking with some friends of hers at the local malt shop. Lullaby Strings was one of them, as was another CHS student known as Novo. She was a dark-skinned sophomore with strong magenta eyes, and her hair had a gradient going from brilliant fuchsia to a strong mulberry.

"You'll never guess what Luna did last night," said Celestia.

"Did it involve a spaceship, a German, and some kinda alien?" asked Novo nonchalantly.

"No. She put on some of my clothes and stuffed a couple of balloons in the pants, saying that she was doing an impression of me."

Lullaby and Novo couldn't help but chuckle at this news. Celestia went red with embarrassment.

"Do you think she was trying to drop a hint?" teased Lullaby.

"Well," said Celestia sheepishly as she put a hand on her backside, "maybe I _have_ been getting a bit large in the barge lately."

"Embarrassing body parts aside," said Lullaby, "any of you have plans to go to the dance this weekend?"

"Not me," said Novo. "My sister and I are heading over to the spa with our mother."

"What about you, Celie?" asked Lullaby.

"Erm..." Celestia looked away, blushing slightly.

"You're thinking about asking Sombra, aren't you?" Lullaby said with a smirk.

"Wh-whatever get you that idea?"

"The tell-tale scarf that you're wearing?"

"I-i-it's a gift from another friend!" protested Celestia, taking the scarf off.

"Of course it is," giggled Lullaby.

"It's okay to admit you like him," said Novo. "But why haven't you said so to him?"

"I'm not sure how he would react," explained Celestia. Lullaby then looked over to a table where Sombra was sitting, not paying attention to the world around him.

"Now's your chance," she said to Celestia.

"N-now?!" cried Celestia, blushing redder in the face. "Wh-what should I say?!"

"First thing that comes to your mind," said Lullaby. "Just go for it, Celie."

"But what if he says no?"

"Don't think about the 'what ifs'," said Lullaby. "Just take the chance while you got it."

But Celestia was still feeling nervous, so Lullaby was forced to push her all the way over to Sombra's area. He was surprised to see her.

"Oh, hello, Celestia," he said.

"Um, hi there, Sombra," said Celestia, rather shyly. "I-is it okay if I s-sat w-w-with you?"

"Of course you can," smiled Sombra. Celestia carefully sat down next to Sombra. "Was there anything you wanted to say?"

"So-Sombra..." stammered Celestia. "I... I l..."

"Yes, Celestia?"

"... **SOMBRA I LOVE YOU**!" No sooner had Celestia said that, she covered her mouth. The malt shop was filled with silence; you could almost hear a pin land on the floor. After a few moments, Sombra finally found his voice.

"W-well, Celestia," he said, sounding a bit shy himself, "I love you too."

"Y-you do?" asked Celestia at last.

"Ever since we first met," said Sombra, "you were the first person who saw me for who I truly was."

Celestia couldn't help but blush at that comment. Then, she got closer to Sombra and kissed him squarely on the lips. Surprised, Sombra kissed her back.

"So, did you have any plans for the dance?" asked Celestia.

"Well, I wasn't sure about going at first," Sombra admitted. "I didn't know if you would have been interested in going with me."

"Why not?" asked Celestia.

"Well..." said Sombra, "I didn't know if you were going to be busy at that time."

"I've a clear schedule this weekend." Whilst Sombra and Celestia continued talking, Lullaby and Novo commented on the scene.

"Told you she'd do it," said Lullaby. "Now pay up." Novo sighed and rolled her eyes as she gave Lullaby a five-dollar bill.

* * *

 **JANUARY 11, 2014**

Sunset giggled. "I had no idea Vincent's mom was like that back then," she said.

"She was... eccentric, to say the least," said Celestia. "But she was still one of my closest friends all the same."

"Yeah, she was a lovely lady," agreed Sunset.

"Indeed," said Celestia. "Vincent is so much like her in many ways."

"Well, thanks for the talk, mom," said Sunset.

"No problem, sweetie," smiled Celestia.

* * *

 **JANUARY 15, 2014**

It was shortly after the brunch period at Canterlot High School. Vincent and Sunset were heading to their next class, which was geography. One of the other students they saw already in the classroom was Skystar, a sophomore with light arctic blue hair with a rose colored flower in it and brilliant cyan eyes. She was Novo's daughter, but her skin color was lighter. One of her well known habits was carrying around two clams with googly eyes on them named Sheldon and Shelly.

"Good morning, Skystar," said Sunset.

"Hi, Sunset," said Skystar. "Hey there, Vincent."

"Oh, hey Skystar," said Vincent. "Shelly, Sheldon," he added, addressing the two clams. Skystar moved the clams up and down to make it look like they were talking.

"How's your day going so far?" asked Skystar.

"Pretty good," said Sunset. The three of them (five if you included Shelly and Sheldon) talked for a bit until the bell rang. The teacher, Novo, spoke up.

"Everyone take your seats." The students didn't need telling twice; Skystar sat in her usual seat, next to Pinkie Pie. The next thing Novo did was hand out a sheet of paper with all the students' names on it to keep track of who was there that day.

"Our lesson for the day is climate change." While some of the students didn't seem very interested, Pinkie and Skystar were among the ones that _were_.

"I can't wait to hear about the ocean," whispered Skystar to Pinkie. It was one of her favorite subjects.

"Because of the shells?" asked Pinkie.

"Yup yup!" Skystar quietly giggled.

After a few minutes of class, an announcement came on the intercom.

" _Attention, all staff and students,_ " said Luna. " _We have just received word that a shooter may be on campus grounds. Everyone is to be on lock down until further notice._ "

"A shooter on campus?!" Pinkie almost shrieked. "We're not gonna die, are we?!"

"Pinkie Pie, calm down," said Novo firmly. "The most important thing in situations like this is to not panic. Everyone to your places."

With that said, the students began to take their designated safety places while Novo locked the door. Poor Sunset began to feel scared; what if it was Icy Heart having escaped from prison seeking revenge? Vincent noticed how upset Sunset looked.

"Sunset?" he whispered. "Are you alright?"

"No," Sunset whimpered quietly, but loud enough so Vincent heard her. "Can you... hold me?"

Vincent was surprised, but agreed to it anyway.

"That help?" he asked.

"Mmm, yes," murmured Sunset. _He's so warm,_ she thought to herself whilst blushing. _Like a giant teddy bear._

 _She's so soft,_ thought Vincent. _I hope that didn't sound perverted..._

Both Sunset and Vincent felt comfort in holding onto each other during the lockdown; so much so that without realizing it, they both fell asleep. As time went by, they began to dream...

* * *

 _Vincent and Sunset both found themselves in a large field with a big tree in the middle._

 _"Isn't it beautiful out here?" asked Sunset._

 _"Yes," said Vincent. "But not as beautiful as you." Sunset blushed at that compliment._

 _"Aww, you're just saying that," she giggled._

 _"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it," Vincent insisted. Taking each other's hands, the two teens stared lovingly into their eyes before closing them and slowly leaning forward. Both kissed passionately for what felt like ages; whilst they kissed, Vincent began stroking his girlfriend's hair. Sunset giggled as she felt his touch and stroked his hair in return._

 _"Getting cosy, are we?" Sunset teased, batting her eyelids at him._

 _"Maybe," said Vincent innocently. "Wh-what else shall we do, my love?"_

 _With a teasing smirk, Sunset whispered something into Vincent's ear. When she finished, Vincent went bright red. A voice could be heard in the distance, but neither noticed what the voice was saying. Vincent looked on as Sunset slowly took off her jacket and it landed on the grass. Then she began to slowly lift up her shirt..._

* * *

"Vincent! Sunset! Wake up!"

Sunset let out a scream as she was startled awake, accidentally smacking Vincent in the jaw, waking him up as well.

"Ow!" cried Vincent, rubbing where he'd been hit.

"Sorry," Sunset apologized. "Skystar gave me a wake up call."

"Oh," said Vincent. "How long were we asleep?"

"About two hours," said Skystar.

"Two hours?!" exclaimed Sunset. "What's going on?"

"The lockdown's over."

"What about the shooter?" asked Vincent.

"It turned out to be a false alarm," said Skystar. "The person they thought was a shooter was actually a pest exterminator."

"So all this time, we freaked out over a misunderstanding?"

"Afraid so," said Skystar. "But on the plus side, we got some extra sleep."

* * *

Because of the lockdown, the students had a late lunch and their sixth period class was cut short. The families of the students had been informed about the false alarm and were called in to take them home (Sunset and Skystar were among the few exceptions; they'd go home once their respective mothers were done). Celestia was in her office with Shining Armor and the man falsely accused of being a shooter; he had dark skin, light gray hair, some visible stubble on his chin, and green eyes. He looked to be in his sixties. With them were the two students who unintentionally caused panic - Snips and Snails.

"I am very disappointed in you two," said Celestia sternly. "You have made everyone on school grounds panic all over a false alarm."

"We're sorry, Principal McCracken," said Snips sadly.

"We thought we saw him holding a rifle," said Snails.

"That was the front of my equipment," said the pest exterminator.

"Well, we didn't know that," said Snips.

"Why didn't you just ask what he was doing in the first place?" asked Shining Armor.

"We panicked," said Snails. Celestia sighed and rubbed her temples; even for an innocent misunderstanding, expulsion was too harsh a punishment for the boys.

"As punishment," she finally said, "you will both serve two months' worth of detention."

"W-we're not going to jail?" asked Snips in surprise.

"Of course not," said Shining Armor. "You're just kids, and made a mistake."

Snips and Snails sighed in somewhat relief; they'd rather be in detention than in a jail cell.

* * *

Meanwhile, Vincent had been called into Luna's office. He was aided by one of the school's alumni, Sonata Dusk, to the office.

"What do you think Vice-Principal Faust wants?" Vincent asked.

"Every student's being sent home early," said Sonata. "Looks like you're next, Vincent."

Sonata was right; when they arrived at the office, Vincent saw that Luna was with Page Turner and, to his surprise, Fictionary.

"What're doing here, little sis?" asked Vincent.

"Canterlot Middle went through the lockdown," she explained. "Seems the entire city was put into a panic."

"And all for a misunderstanding," said Vincent.

"I'm just glad you're both safe," said Page.

"But where's Flash?" asked Vincent. "Is he stuck at Rainbow Falls Community College?"

"No, he's at home," said Page. "His first class was to begin at 11:30, but it was cancelled due to the lockdown."

"Thank goodness for that," said Vincent.

"Well, I hope the rest of you take care now," said Luna.

"We will," said the Sentries. With that, they left for home.

"Now then," said Luna, picking a lunch box up from the bottom of her desk, "it's time for me to enjoy a delicious lunch before I go home as well." She opened her lunchbox and gasped to find it empty.

"What the-?! I'm sure I had a taco in here..." She noticed Sonata walking off, whistling innocently. Luna sighed with annoyance; the only reason Sonata had been hired was because out of the three half-sisters - Sonata herself, Adagio Dazzle, and Aria Blaze - she was the easiest to get along with children.

* * *

As Page drove him and Fictionary home, Vincent found himself in deep thought as he looked out the window.

 _That dream Sunset and I had,_ he thought to himself. _It seemed so magical._ But then he thought about what had happened before he was abruptly awaken.

 _Sunset was about to lift up her shirt,_ Vincent thought. He then began to blush. _Does she... want to take this to the next level?_

"Vincent? Are you alright?"

"Huh?!" Vincent turned to face Fictionary, who'd just called out to him. "Um... yeah, I'm fine," he said.

"Were you thinking about Sunset again?" asked Fictionary innocently. Vincent blushed at this.

"M-maybe," he said nervously.

* * *

Meanwhile, Celestia was driving Sunset home. Celestia was still flustered over the recent events, and Sunset figured it might not be a good idea to bother her, so she kept quiet. Throughout the ride home, she kept thinking about the dream she and Vincent shared.

 _I can't believe I dreamed that,_ she thought to herself. _What does that mean?_

Celestia looked in the rear-view mirror and noticed Sunset thinking to herself.

"Are you alright, Sunset?" she asked gently. Sunset snapped out of her though bubble.

"Huh, what?" she asked.

"You were acting rather quiet," said Celestia.

"Oh," said Sunset. "Just deep in thought is all."

"About what?"

"Just... stuff," said Sunset. Celestia decided not to say anymore about the subject, and kept driving. Sunset, meanwhile, continued thinking about her dream, and about Vincent...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The pest exterminator is the Pest Control Pony from _Bloom and Gloom_.**

 **Bits of this chapter are loosely inspired by the events of the January 2013 Sunnyvale lockdown.**


	6. SLS6 - Who Needs a Heart

Well, that took way longer than I was hoping...! Yeah, writer's block is a real pain in the flank, but hopefully this chapter will be worth it in the end.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 6 - Who Needs a Heart (Starr, 1978)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Cameron Stevens**

 ** _Trixie Lulamoon's Point of View_**

Up until that fateful day last year, I was best friends with Starlight Glimmer. Whilst we often hung out at places that many others do, most of our fun was spent harassing the other students at Canterlot High, like we were the queens of the school. Our favorite victim, of course, was Sunset Shimmer. I know most of you know this by now, and so you're probably wondering, "O Great and Powerful Trixie, how did you and Starlight become besties?" Well, that is the story I'll be telling you, but first, a little about myself...

I was born April 6, 1996, the only child to my mother Spectacle. Mom says that dad left us when I was a baby, and I barely even remember him. I had always wanted to try and find him, but mom tells me it's simply not worth it, but she never told me why.

One day at Canterlot Elementary School - 2005, to be exact - for a special treat, a magician had been brought. I remember every bit of it like it was yesterday; his name was the Great Magnifico. I'll tell you this; at that point, he was one of the greatest magicians of the time.

"For my first trick," said the Great Magnifico, "I need a volunteer." I was excited at the prospect; how could I possibly resist?

"Me!" I cried, sticking my hand up. "Pick me!"

"You there!" said Magnifico to me. "Come on up."

I giggled excitedly as I got up onto the stage.

"What might your name be?" the magician asked.

"My name is Trixie," I told him.

"Well, Trixie," said Magnifico, "which is your favorite kind of snack?"

"Peanut butter crackers," I said. "But I usually don't have 25 cents for one."

"Really?" asked Magnifico, seeming a bit suspicious as he reached behind my left ear. "Then how do you explain... this?" In a flash, he pulled out a shiny quarter from behind my ear. Everyone gasped in amazement. I was amazed as well; seriously, it still stuns me as to how it works.

"Thank you," I said as he gave me the quarter. "How did you do that?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets, my dear," Magnifico said with a wink. "And now... for my next trick!" Magnifico took out a deck of cards.

"Choose a card; any card," he told me. I reached out and took a card from the deck. I looked at what value the card was.

"Now without telling me what it is," instructed Magnifico, "place it back on top of the deck." I didn't need telling twice. Magnifico shuffled the deck before picking up the top card.

"Is this your card?" he asked, showing me the card he had just drawn. I gasped in amazement.

"It is!" I cried. The other kids cheered at his amazing act. Several more tricks were performed by the Great Magnifico. One of them involved moving a coin across the table without even touching it; another, my personal favorite, was pulling a cute little bunny out of a hat. At last came his grand finale.

"And now," Magnifico told us, "I shall attempt to perform... an escape act!" At that moment, two of the magician's assistants wheeled in a large tank of water and a straitjacket.

"I should warn you all," Magnifico warned, "that this stunt should _only_ be done by professionals. It goes without saying, but _never_ attempt this at home." We watched as Magnifico was bound with chains. I looked on anxiously; what was going to happen to him? Once it was done, he was gently helped by his assistants into the tank. Now I was on the edge of my seat; literally _and_ emotionally.

As the seconds ticked by, Magnifico struggled in his binds to become free. At last, he was able to unlock his shackles and swim to the top. We all cheered as he stood to take a bow. I was probably shrieking the loudest of all; that was amazing!

"Thank you, thank you all," said Magnifico. "You've all been a wonderful audience today." As Magnifico and his assistants took a bow, fireworks lit up the sky. The whole show was incredible, and I couldn't stop going on about it for days. Needless to say, I suppose I did get on my peers' nerves, especially when I told them I wanted to be the greatest and most powerful magician in the world.

"One day," I said to some kindergartners, "I will be the greatest magician in the history of the world."

"What are you gonna call yourself?" asked a little boy.

"I will call myself... The Great and Powerful Trrrrixie!" Unfortunately, the others didn't seem very interested in my goals, as many of them walked off, rolling their eyes at me.

"You lot have no taste, do you?!" I called out to them. "Ah, who needs them?" I said a few seconds after.

But I would never give up on my dream of being a famous magician. So, during the weekend, I went to the library to see if I could rent a few books on doing simple magic tricks. I read each book I could find carefully, trying not to miss any details to the tricks and how they were performed. My first attempted trick was to hide a ball under a cup and make it disappear. My first audience was a few other students at Canterlot Elementary during recess.

"Boys and girls!" I announced. "Prepare to witness the amazing feats of wonder performed by the Great and Powerful Trixie!" Not many of the children in the audience were that excited to see my impromptu show. Some were yawning, others barely clapped, and I swear one kid was swatting away at a buzzard trying to pick at his head.

"Ahem," I cleared my throat. "Behold in front of me - an ordinary ball, and an ordinary cup." I took the ball and put it under the cup as I brought up a wand.

"When I wave my wand," I said, "I will lift up the cup, and the ball will be gone." I gave a wave of my wand and called the magic words. "Alakazam abracadabra..." I then tapped the cup with my wand three times. Now was the big moment for me...

"Ball be gone!"

I lifted up the cup. I couldn't believe it; the ball was gone! I bowed expecting applause, but then something bounced up and hit me on the nose.

"D'oh!" I cried. This caused the children to laugh at my unfortunate incident. I ran off out of embarrassment; I wanted to awe people, not get them laugh at me like I was some stupid clown! I was so upset and angry that I wanted to just hit something and disappear.

For the next couple of years, I got better with my magic skills, but even then, nobody would take me seriously. Well, not until one day in the summer of 2007...

* * *

I was preparing for my next trick; pulling a rabbit out of a hat. Well, that was easier said than done as the rabbit I had was giving me trouble. I'd have had better luck with a stuffed toy! The last straw came when the little mammal decided to leave a present in my hat.

" _You stupid creature!_ " I shrieked when I saw the mess it made. The rabbit, I swear on my grave, stuck its tongue out at me, and hopped away. I got so angry that I threw my hat on the ground and began to trample it.

"That's the last straw!" I shouted. "I quit! No matter what I do, nothing seems to work out the way it's supposed to!"

"Um, excuse me," came a voice. I looked around to the source of the voice. It was a girl about my age with purple hair and turquoise streaks... and were those the most lovely purple eyes I'd seen?

"What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do for you?" I asked in my over-the-top grand voice.

"Do you have some sort of mental illness?" the girl asked.

"Excuse me?!" I snapped indignantly.

"It's just that I noticed you having a heated assault on that hat."

I sighed with annoyance. "Some stupid mammal decided it'd be a good time to leave a mess inside of it, ruining the magic trick I had planned."

"You do magic tricks?" the girl asked.

"Well, I'm learning how to do magic tricks," I explained. "The problem is that nobody takes me seriously."

"What makes you think that?" asked the girl. "Forgive me, but what's your name?"

"I told you," I replied, "I am the Great and Powerful Trixie... Lulamoon," I finished lamely. "What is _your_ name?"

"I'm Starlight Glimmer," said the girl. "I just moved here."

"Where from?" I asked, intrigued.

"I come from... Sire's Hollow," said Starlight, though she sounded a bit reluctant when saying it, but I didn't ask if there was anything wrong.

"Was it a cool place?" I asked.

"Y-yeah," said Starlight. "My aunt and I moved to Rainbow Falls for a change of scenery. But enough about me; I think you could be a great magician."

"Do you really think so?" I asked.

" _Think_ so? I _know_ so." Suddenly, Starlight felt a tickle in her nose.

"I... I... I'm gonna sneeze," she said, trying her best to hold it back. "Do... do you have a... a... a tissue?"

"I do indeed," I replied.

"H-H-H-Hurry!" Starlight cried. She sounded like she was about to blow at any minute. I held out a red handkerchief, but this was no ordinary handkerchief; it was attached to another one, this being yellow, and the one attached to that was blue, then green, then purple, then orange - all the colors of the rainbow.

Starlight had no time to comment on the trick. She was literally holding back an impending typhoon, and she couldn't hold it any longer. She took the red handkerchief, and let 'er rip!

" ** _AAATISHOOOOOO!_** " She sneezed so hard, that the handkerchief blew up like a balloon.

"Just like in the cartoons!" I cried in astonishment. "Oh, and gesundheit."

"Thank you," said Starlight. "That was a pretty nifty handkerchief trick."

"Well, thank you," I said. I pulled out more and more colorful handkerchiefs until I got to the end of the tail.

"So, how goes your success as a magician?" asked Starlight.

My smile soon turned into a subdued expression. "Not so great, actually," I said. "I guess everyone just doesn't want to get to know me and my magical talents."

"I want to know you and your talents," said Starlight. "In fact, I could give you some ideas for how to make your tricks better if you'd like."

"Nothing too dangerous, I hope," I said. "I don't want to catch bullets in my teeth; look what happened to Madame Delinsky."

"No, nothing like Dame Lined Sky," said Starlight (I didn't bother to correct her on that). "Say, why don't we think up more about magic over some pizza?"

"Yum!" I said. "You read my mind." With that, I followed my new friend down the street. I wasn't sure why at first, but I had a strong feeling that this was the start of a beautiful friendship. That only blossomed when it turned out both of us were attending Canterlot Middle School.

I'm sure most of you know this by now, but that was when we encountered a red-haired girl we now know as Sunset Shimmer. It was during recess when Starlight and I were talking that Sunset had to butt in.

"Hi, there!" was what she said to us.

"How dare you butt into our conversation!" I snapped at her.

"I'm sorry; I was just saying hello."

"Well, we'd have accepted if you kept your fat mouth shut," retorted Starlight.

"There's no need for that!" snapped Sunset, and she walked off in a huff. Good riddance, I felt.

"Who does that girl think she is, anyway?" asked Starlight.

"Some kind of spoiled daddy's girl, I expect," I replied. We griped about her all week, but when she called us out for being petty, Starlight suggested we pay her out, and teach her some respect.

The next time we encountered her was shortly after her father died. We mocked her for it until that other girl, Rainbow Dash, went and kicked Starlight in the shin. My friend kneeled over in pain, and so I grabbed her by the arm and quickly ran off.

"They'll pay for that!" I declared. And pay they would indeed; our payback began with pranking Sunset Shimmer.

Once in a while, when she didn't expect it, Starlight and I would pull a miscellaneous prank on her. One such prank involved putting itching powder in her clothes after gym class. She scratched her skin raw by the end of the day from what I heard. When Vincent came to Canterlot Middle, that was when things got interesting.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The ending scene is based upon "Getting Closer" from _Fortunes and Tragedies_ , retold from Trixie's perspective.**


	7. SLS7 - Stand By Me

Here's chapter seven!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 7 - Stand By Me (Lennon, 1975)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

 ** _Trixie Lulamoon's Point of View_**

That fateful day began when Starlight and I noticed Sunset talking with her friends again. Though this time, there seemed to be a new face. He had blue hair, green eyes, and glasses. My heart seemed to skip a bit when I looked at him. Such a handsome fellow like him would be a perfect boyfriend for me. And given how pretty I was, I felt confident that I could win him over. Starlight, however, only saw him as a new target for taunting.

"Ah..." she grinned deviously when she saw the new boy. "Fresh meat. Well, what do we have here?" she called out loud to the boy and his friends.

"Not you two again," groaned Sunset.

"Oh, is that your way to treat your classmates?" asked Starlight smugly. "Shameful, isn't it, Trixie?"

"Quite ghastly, Starlight," I agreed.

"You know these two?" asked the boy with glasses.

"I share classes with them," sighed Sunset. "Be glad that you don't."

"What is it you two want?" asked a girl with a purple pony tail.

"We wanted to know how our friend Sunset was getting on," I said, "and we certainly weren't asking a four-eyes like you for your opinion on the matter!"

"I beg your pardon?" the boy with glasses snapped at us. I couldn't help but blush a bit at how he showed courage like that.

"Oh, what is it _you_ want?" snapped Starlight.

"I would appreciate it if you left us alone, please? Thank you."

 _Handsome, brave,_ _ **and**_ _polite?_ I was getting more and more excited. This boy clearly had to be my destined one. I had to act now before it was too late.

"Well, aren't you the gentleman, little boy?" I wrapped my arm around him, hoping he'd return the feeling.

"I have a name, you know, and it's Vincent."

 _Such a wonderful name,_ I thought happily.

"You've got the distinct honor of being with the Great and Powerful Trixie," I continued proudly. "Can you ever look away from someone of my grandeur?" All I could do now was wait for his response. I could just picture him kissing me.

"Yes... I can."

I just stared in shock as Vincent took my hand off of him. Had I really just been... rejected?

"What?!" I shrieked angrily. "And what do you mean by that?"

"Looks aren't everything, Trixie," said Vincent in a firm tone. "You may be a pretty face, but you're a cruel person on the inside. And I don't like that in a girl!"

I was once again in shock. I could feel my heart crumble to pieces as that comment echoed in my head.

 _Cruel?_ _ **CRUEL?!**_

"Well! What do you know about taste then?!" I nearly screamed as a reaction to Sunset and that other girl giggling.

"Way more than you'll ever know," said Vincent. As if to add insult to injury, everyone started to cheer for him. I stormed off with fury, as did Starlight.

"Stupid boy..." muttered Starlight.

"He'll pay for this," I grumbled bitterly. I still couldn't believe that I had actually been rejected like that.

* * *

For the next few years, our plan continued out. When we entered Canterlot High School, Starlight and I considered letting Sunset join our group. After all, a trio sounded much better than a duo. Or at least, that was what we believed. We met Sunset one day during lunch.

"Hello, Sunset," Starlight greeted.

"Oh no, not you two again," Sunset groaned. "What do you want? Principal McCracken said that if you were bothering me, I should ignore you and move on."

"Can't we just sit for lunch without being accused?" asked Starlight, sounding offended.

"Not from my perspective," retorted Sunset.

"So... what's this we hear about you and Vincent?" I smirked with a raised eyebrow. Clearly, there must've been more going on with him and Sunset than we were letting on.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," said Sunset innocently.

"You said he was a wonderful guy, did you not?"

"Well, yes, I... Wait a minute; you were eavesdropping, weren't you?!"

"We just happened to hear you talking," said Starlight innocently.

"What exactly do you want with me?" Sunset demanded. Starlight decided to cut to the chase.

"We want you to join our little group."

"What group?" asked Sunset. "Like, some little club where we bully people for fun? Forget it. Vincent would never have approved."

"Indeed," I said, with a hint of deviousness in my voice as I continued. "Although, it sure would be a shame if something _tragic_ were to happen to him, wouldn't it?"

"You... You wouldn't hurt him, would you?!" Sunset screamed; a raw nerve had been struck.

"Hmm... Maybe we will, maybe we won't..." Starlight smirked.

"You leave him alone," demanded Sunset, shaking a fist at us. "He has done nothing wrong to make you hurt him!"

"He rejected me when I tried to flirt with him!" I protested.

"And rightly so, I felt!" retorted Sunset. _No, that was unfair of him to reject me,_ I thought. "Just you wait until Principal McCracken hears about what you're planning," Sunset threatened, but Starlight didn't bat an eyelid.

"So who's going to tell her, I wonder?" she taunted. "A goody-goody tattletale like you, I suppose?" That comment seemed to make Sunset back off.

"Tell you what," said Starlight. "We'll give you until the end of the school day to consider our offer." Just then, the bell rang, and upon hearing it, Sunset ran off.

"The nerve of her," I said. "Why can't she just accept defeat already?"

"Patience, Trixie," Starlight soothed. "She can't resist forever."

* * *

Before long, the end of the school day had come. Neither me nor Starlight had seen Sunset for the rest of the day. But tomorrow, we crossed paths with her again.

"Hello again, Sunset." With a startled scream, Sunset whacked me right in the face.

"Ow!" I clutched where Sunset had hit me; I tell you, when she hits, she hits _hard_.

"Ooh!" exclaimed Sunset. "I'm so sorry; I've got quick reflexes!"

"Hmph; we'll keep that in mind," muttered Starlight.

"What do you two even want?" demanded Sunset.

"Have you considered our offer?" asked Starlight.

"What offer?"

"To join us, duh," I said. _As if it wasn't obvious enough,_ I thought.

"No!" snapped Sunset. "I'll never be part of a heartless group of people, and that's that!"

"Oh yes you will," said Starlight, taking hold of Sunset's chin. "You know you want to join us, Sunset. I can see it in your eyes. You have hate and anger inside of you. Use it on those who do you wrong. Use it to gain reputation, respect, power! It is your destiny!"

"No it's not!" yelled Sunset, and she shoved Starlight away from her. "I will never become a bully like you! Now leave me alone!" And on that note, she stormed off. Left alone with Starlight, I looked awkwardly towards her.

"At least we've got each other, right?" I asked before weakly chuckling.

"We might still have a chance to change Sunset's mind," said Starlight, still maintaining that devious smirk on her face. "You can't run from destiny. You can only choose to meet it."

"How so, if I may ask?"

"All in good time, Trixie. All in good time."

* * *

Eventually, that time came in January next year, when Sunset and another girl, Rarity, went to the spa with the latter's mother. Starlight suggested that we ruin their time there. When I asked how we do it, she then produced a jar filled with live worms.

"Perfect for the mud baths," she said.

"Now how are we expected to get in?" I asked. My question was answered when we noticed two of the spa assistants leaving for a break.

"I say we knock 'em out and steal their uniforms," whispered Starlight.

"Kind of cliched, but it's better than nothing," I said. With that said, we tackled the assistants, and knocked them out. Once we had the disguises on, we went inside.

"How will we know where she is?" I asked quietly. Suddenly, we could hear Sunset and Rarity's voices.

"Found them," said Starlight.

"Where?" I asked.

"In that room over there." I looked over to where Starlight was pointing. True enough, we saw Rarity and Sunset. Both were wearing robes and towels owned by the spa, and had guacamole on their faces and cucumber slices over their eyes.

"Looks like they'll be getting ready for the mud bath next," said Starlight.

"Who'd want to bathe in mud?" I asked. "Are they pigs or something?"

"It's special therapeutic mud," Starlight corrected. "My aunt told me all about it. Clearly you've never been to a spa before."

"I... haven't," I admitted. "But never mind that; got the worms?" Starlight held up the jar. Where she pulled them from, I didn't care to find out. We waited a few minutes so we couldn't catch a glimpse of them in their birthday suits and then snuck inside the room.

"You sure that will work?" I whispered.

"Of course," whispered Starlight. "That Sunset won't know what hit her." She wasn't wrong there. I looked around the room; nobody was watching us. I quietly gave Starlight the thumbs up, and then she dumped the worms into the mud. Most of them landed on Sunset's part of the mud bath. It was only a few minutes before Sunset realized something was wrong. She took off one of her cucumber slices and screamed at the sight of the worms, which startled Rarity, and also caused her to freak out as well.

"OH MY GOODNESS, YOU'VE GOT WORMS!"

Boy, that scene was funny! Starlight and I did everything we could to prevent breaking out into laughter as some spa attendants came into the room. We would've got away if one of them hadn't spotted us!

"Hey you!" cried an attendant. "And where are you off to?"

"We've been spotted!" I cried to Starlight. "Let's get out of here!" Well, we could've if some big bimbo didn't stand in our way. It turned out to be, whom I suppose was, Rarity's mother.

"What's going on here?" she asked the two girls.

"There were worms in the mud!" cried Rarity.

"And they were crawling on my face!" added Sunset.

"Those two girls appear to be responsible for it." The same attendant who ratted us out pointed at the both of us; I knew we were in for it when Sunset scowled in our general direction.

"You!" she cried.

"Surprise!" said Starlight, but even she realized we were in trouble. When Rarity asked why we'd do such a thing, we couldn't come up with an answer. It got worse for us when the assistants we knocked out turned up in their underwear.

Because of our trouble, the spa people had to drain out the mud and refill it with fresh mud, and then inform our families about this. When my mom brought me home, she was very unpleased with my behavior at the spa.

"Bellatrix Lulamoon!" she shouted in anger. (That's my full name, in case you didn't know.) "What do you think you're playing at?"

"It was Starlight's idea, mom!" I protested.

"Why did you go along with it?" mother demanded.

"I thought it would be funny."

"I'm starting to think this Starlight Glimmer has become a bad influence to you," said my mother. "I say it would be better if you stopped hanging around her before she gets you in worse trouble."

My eyes widened in shock; being separated from my only friend?!

"No!" I cried. "Starlight's the only friend I have! Please give me another chance!" My mother wasn't sure that it would be a good idea. In hindsight, I probably should've listened to and agreed with her. But I didn't.

* * *

After that, we caused a lot more trouble for Sunset like putting itching powder in her swimsuit, and when Vincent finally turned up at CHS, that was when it got really interesting. Our first strike was at the Fall Formal. We noticed that despite liking Vincent, Sunset had gone with his brother Flash Sentry instead.

"Well, lookie here," I said. Vincent was looking very unhappy with Flash, who then sent Sunset over to the refreshments stand. Me and Starlight were standing there; much as we thought the Formal was stupid, we still attended just to have a bit of fun, and we wore dresses to avoid standing out. Sunset was not happy to see us there; she even told us the reason she went with Flash was to avoid upsetting him. After Starlight gave off a sarcastic apology, we left Sunset be... for now, at least.

Later, Principal McCracken announced that it was time for the dancing. The disc jockey played a mandolin-based tune that even I couldn't resist dancing along to. Starlight gave me a cold look, and I immediately stopped dancing. She then motioned over to Vincent, struggling to dance with his date, Cloudchaser.

"You see him, Trixie?" said Starlight. "Without Sunset, poor little Vincent is struggling in his independence."

"Well, he's taller than us," I said.

"I don't need to know about _those_ technicals," snapped Starlight. I rolled my eyes. _Well, excuse me for pointing something out!_ "What do you say; why don't we humiliate him in front of Sunset?"

"I'm all for it," I said, but I wasn't sure what she meant by that, so I asked, "What did you have in mind?" Starlight whispered her plan into my ear, and we both giggled at her suggestion.

As Vincent danced with Cloudchaser, Starlight took the peel off the banana she had been eating, and flung it out on the floor. It landed leather side up, and we were hoping it'd produce some comedy for us. It kind of did... and it kind of didn't at the same time. Vincent did indeed slip on the banana peel as planned. What really made it funny was when he fell face first into Cloudchaser's chest. Both Starlight and I giggled at the sight.

"I was expecting more laughs out of it though," I said with disappointment. Apart from a few snickers from the other students, hardly anyone took it seriously.

"Nevertheless," said Starlight, "it's a good start at least."

After another bit of watching people dancing, we noticed Sunset again.

"So," I said, "what's next then, might I ask?"

"I think we may need a little help," was all Starlight could say. She led me back over to where Sunset was.

"What is it now?" she asked; her tone sounded nervous.

"Oh, nothing," said Starlight. "I just thought it would be really funny if you would cause Vincent to have a little accident out there."

Sunset gasped in shock. "No!" she cried. "I won't do it! I won't hurt any of my friends!"

"Oh, yes, you will," said Starlight, getting in her face. "Because if you don't, Trixie and I _will_. And if we do it, chances are it will be much... **much** more dangerous. Do you _want_ it to be that worse?" That made Sunset back off.

As Vincent began making his way to the punch bowl, Starlight took something out of her pocket. It was small metal bearings she was clutching onto.

"Trixie, there's an old saying that comes to my attention," she said to me.

"And what would that saying be?"

"Always keep your _bearings_." And with that, she dropped the metal bearings onto the floor a few steps ahead of Vincent; he didn't see them coming, cause when he stepped on them, he went for a slide into the punch bowl, getting soaked red all over.

Sunset wanted to go over and help Vincent, but then she caught Starlight in the corner of her eye. The latter slid her thumb across her neck, as if threatening the former. So instead, she laughed out...

"Smooth move, Vincent van Klutz!" That did it. This triggered almost everyone else laughing as well. Vincent ran off crying, and me and Starlight high-fived. It got even better for us when Flash splashed Sunset with punch.

"How dare you humiliate at my brother like that!" he snapped.

"B-but, Flash!" protested Sunset. "I didn't mean it! I j-"

"I don't want to hear your excuses! Never come near me or my family ever again!" He stormed out of the gym. Cloudchaser was also cross with Sunset.

"Well, my night's ruined," she complained. "Thanks a lot, Shimmer! I'll be waiting for you outside, Flitter." Sunset left shortly after Cloudchaser did, and yet despite what happened, it seemed like nothing would break Sunset's love for Vincent.

* * *

Starlight and I did everything we could to get them both to forget the other. We tried making Vincent think Sunset didn't care for him that Valentines Day, but it blew up in our faces. Then we tricked Sunset into sabotaging the Spring Fling Rarity had set up, and later on told lies about Sunset to some freshmen like Coco Pommel. In the time we'd hung out, I was starting to find Starlight attractive, but the more we kept harassing Sunset, the more I felt that we might be going too far.

It all eventually came to a head in January 2013. Starlight and I were hanging outside the convention center when we heard some crying.

"What's that?" I asked.

"My life is officially over! Everyone hates me!" I immediately recognized that voice belonging to Sunset Shimmer. She was in a sorry state emotionally.

"Look at that, Trixie," said Starlight. "What a tragic sight that is."

"She's not fit to be seen in public," I said, but not in a malicious manner that time. There was a hint of worry in my voice, but Sunset's response did not seem to register.

"Why don't you two go jump in a garbage bin?!" she snarled at us.

"Now is that any way to speak?" taunted Starlight. _Wrong thing to say, Glim-Glam,_ I thought (that was my personal pet name for her).

" _You did this to me_!" Sunset screamed with a fury I couldn't begin to describe. I hid behind Starlight, hoping she'd protect me from Sunset's wrath.

"Ever since we met," continued Sunset, getting angrier as she spoke, "all you did was bully me and make me so miserable that I took it out on my closest friends! Now everybody hates me _and it's all your fault! YOU HAVE RUINED MY LIFE!_ "

My eyes widened with horror; we've definitely gone too far now. Sunset then went and punched Starlight squarely in the face, leaving me vulnerable as Sunset kicked me in the shin, causing me to fall on top of Starlight. Sunset ran off, leaving us groaning.

"I think we've gone too far, Starlight," I told her.

"Rubbish," snorted Starlight, rubbing where she'd been punched.

"Rubbish?!" I exclaimed with indignation. "We should be lucky she didn't kill us! How far do you intend to push this thing?"

At that moment, Vincent raced up. Once he'd caught his breath, he asked us, "Have you two seen Sunset Shimmer go by?"

"She passed us a few seconds ago," I said. Might as well be helpful for once, I figured.

"She even had the nerve to make up lies about us," said Starlight. "I mean, really, Trix - have we done anything wrong?" I was about to come clean about our misdeeds, but Starlight covered my mouth before I had the chance.

"Don't you dare!" she hissed quietly, but Vincent could see right past that and knew what we knew. After telling us off, he raced away to find Sunset.

"If you dare try to report us," called Starlight to Vincent, "it'll be your word against ours!" This time, I felt for sure that Starlight had gone too far. Not only had she tried to ruin Sunset Shimmer's life, but she manipulated everyone who could have reported us into staying quiet. I couldn't take anymore.

"Have you lost your mind, Starlight?!" I asked. "If those two are able to convince the whole school what really happened, they'll hang us!"

* * *

I was right; tomorrow morning, Principal McCracken called for everyone to assemble at the gym, and let Sunset explain her behavior. The moment Sunset revealed me and Starlight as the culprits, and that everybody was giving us looks, I knew we were boned.

"The jig is up!" I cried, standing up. "Let's cheese it before they lynch us!" We tried to escape, but they were able to catch us.

"You're not going anywhere!" Comet Tail snapped at us both. Starlight cursed under her breath, and then Sunset told every student everything we put her through, especially us threatening to hurt Vincent.

"Why did you bully her and make her do those terrible things?" demanded Twilight.

Realizing there was no escape, Starlight reluctantly gave in.

"Because it was fun!" she insisted. "I love taking pleasure at the misfortune of others, and I wanted Sunset to embrace the same ideas for it that we do!" Much as Sunset would likely hate me for this, for once, I would have to agree with her that bullying people for fun was sick, even if it was too little, too late.

Still, everybody was furious with us, but probably not as much as Principal McCracken, especially when we discovered Sunset was her adopted daughter. She gave us detention for the rest of the school year, and we were made to apologize for bullying.

That afternoon after school was our first day of detention. We weren't alone; Vincent was also going to be there, only for a week. Starlight gave him a nasty scowl. I wanted to apologize to Vincent for everything we had put him and Sunset through, but I had a strong feeling he wouldn't believe me. So I decided to wait until the time was right. Before long, Sunset Shimmer came in as well to visit Vincent.

It felt like an eternity for the hour to be up. The day had gone by badly for me; students gave me nasty looks and called both me and Starlight bullies and liars, and I was dreading going home, especially since Principal McCracken was letting my mother know what had happened.

"Trixie, wait up!" called a voice. I growled to myself, knowing it was Starlight. True enough, she came up alongside me.

"Can you still believe Principal McCracken had the nerve to give us detentions?" she asked.

"This was all your fault, Starlight," I grumbled.

"How exactly is it _my_ fault?!" snapped Starlight. " _You_ agreed to go along with it!"

"Only because you convinced me that it would be fun!" I protested. "My mother told me you were a bad influence on me, but I ignored her. Why did I even listen to a think you said? We almost got expelled all because of your stupid schadenfreude obsession!"

"My scandal-what?!"

" _Schadenfreude_ ," I clarified. "It's German for 'taking pleasure at the misfortune of others'. I took German class."

"Well, whatever," snorted Starlight. I couldn't believe how uncaring Starlight was about all she had done, plus being punished for it.

"I thought you were a great person, Starlight," I said, "but now I know that you're nothing but a bully who is obsessed with making people miserable. I don't think we should be friends anymore." Think Starlight took kindly to that? Guess again.

"You're crazy!" she snapped. "Without me, you're nothing!"

"No, Starlight Glimmer," I said firmly. " _You're_ nothing without _me_." With that, I turned and walked away, leaving Starlight behind to sulk. Telling her off like that felt so good. It was like a large weight had been lifted from my shoulders.

When I got home, however, my mom was furious with me.

" _Bellatrix Lulamoon_!" she shouted. "What do you think you're playing at?! I got a call from the school saying that you and Starlight had been bullying an innocent girl into causing trouble!"

"It was Starlight's fault!" I protested. "Sure, I went along with it, but she convinced me that it would be fun! But it wasn't! It was cruel and sick, yet I was stupid enough to believe her!"

"I told you she was a bad influence," mother said. "Why didn't you listen to me?"

I didn't know what I could say to that. Instead, I just sat down on a nearby chair and broke down crying into my hands.

"I'm so stupid!" I cried. My mother sighed.

"You learned a serious lesson the hard way," she said. "Was it worth getting in trouble just for the sake of having a friend?"

"No, it wasn't," I sniffled, and the more I thought about it, the more I felt no one would accept me as their friend after what happened. "Now I'm going to be hated and despised for the rest of my life."

"I wouldn't say that," said my mother. "They'll eventually learn to live and let live, as long as you're willing to prove yourself." Hearing that made me somewhat feel better. "But you still need to be punished for bullying that poor Sunset," my mother added. "You're grounded for two months."

I did not make an attempt to protest my mother; I knew I deserved that.

* * *

 **JANUARY 2014**

Trixie was standing outside of the school in the snow.

"And that's pretty much how my trouble with Starlight Gilmmer went," she finished. The only one who had bothered to listen to her story was a boy about two years younger than her.

"Wow," he said. "Sure sounds like you went through a lot of trouble with that Starlight girl."

"I did indeed," said Trixie. "It took quite a while for me to fully regain everyone's trust. And there's some people who still don't trust me."

"Seems to always be a few that are too stubborn," the boy agreed. The boy Trixie had been talking to was named Sandbar. He wore a green tie dyed shirt with shorts and sandals. His hair was also light cyan and moderate opal and had light sea green eyes.

"Wanna go get some grub?" he offered.

"Sure," said Trixie. "Telling tales from the past makes me hungry." With that, the two made their way to the local diner, apparently holding hands. No one knew quite sure if it meant something was going on, or if Trixie was just happy to have a new friend to listen to. But that is a story for later...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **This chapter includes moments from "Getting Closer", "How?", "Dance Tonight", "Wah-Wah", "With a Little Luck", and "Weight of the World", all retold in Trixie's perspective.**


	8. SLS8 - Young Boy

Now we begin the second half of _Silly Love Songs_ with a little something for LGBT Pride Month (for the record, I am a heterosexual) and featuring two minor EG characters as the main focus.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 8 - Young Boy (McCartney, 1997)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Mike Nicholson**

 **JANUARY 28, 2014**

It was three weeks before Math Equation's nineteenth birthday. By this point, he and Rarity had been going steady for the past couple of months.

This afternoon, they were at Sugarcube Corner. Math was telling Rarity his plans over a Pepsi (for him) and a cup of tea (for her) when two familiar faces came through the door.

"Sandalwood, Micro Chips!" exclaimed Rarity. "Good to see you two again."

"Hey Rarity, Math," said Sandalwood.

"How have you guys been?" asked Micro Chips.

"We've been well," answered Math. "How about you guys?"

Before either of them could reply, a shrill voice barked from behind them.

"What do you two freaks think you are doing?!"

Math and Rarity turned to where the source of the voice had come from; it was from a nearby table, and the pair could see Spoiled Rich glaring at Micro Chips and Sandalwood. The former looked intimidated whilst the latter tried to maintain peace.

"Dude, we're just holding hands," said Sandalwood. "Is there a problem with that?"

"It's a problem with two people of the same sex to hold hands!" protested Spoiled Rich. "It's disgusting!"

"It's a free world, isn't it?" asked Micro Chips.

"Romance is meant to be between a man and a woman," argued Spoiled Rich. "Relationships between two people of the same gender is disgusting and should be illegal. If I had my way, every person who even thought about dating someone of their gender would be thrown into a mental institute."

"You leave them alone, you gold digging heifer!" Rarity snapped.

Spoiled Rich turned towards Rarity and Math's table. "What did you say, young lady?" she asked in an intimidating matter.

Math spoke up. "She asked you to-"

"Shut it, you!" snapped Spoiled Rich.

Rarity was beyond livid. She didn't like the way Spoiled treated Sandalwood and Micro Chips, but the way she spoke to Math Equation was too much for her to stand.

"That's no way to speak!" she scolded.

"I shall speak to whomever I want, however I please!" insisted Spoiled Rich.

Presently the voice of a middle-aged lady broke in. "What's going on here?" It was Mrs. Cake. She had heard the commotion going on in the main area.

Rarity explained to Mrs. Cake about Spoiled Rich's rude behavior.

"That's not true!" exclaimed Spoiled Rich; she was trying to play Miss Innocent, but none of the others would buy it.

"I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave," said Mrs. Cake.

"Well, thank you," smiled Spoiled Rich. "At least someone has the sense to remove those brats."

The four young adults were surprised. None of them were doing anything wrong.

"Perhaps I wasn't making myself clear," Mrs. Cake corrected herself. "Mrs. Rich, I do not allow intolerant behavior to our customers. Therefore, as I said, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave."

And with that, an enraged but speechless Spoiled Rich stormed out of the shop in fury.

"You haven't heard the last of me..." she hissed bitterly. She had left Sugarcube Corner just as the Apple siblings were walking in.

"Howdy," Applejack greeted. She then looked over to see Sandalwood and Micro Chips, both boys badly shaken following their encounter with Spoiled Rich. "What's the matter with you two?"

Math and Rarity explained to Applejack about Spoiled Rich.

"Why, that snooty, gud-fer-nuthin' varmin!" she exclaimed. "Ain't she the wife of that bargain store owner?"

"You mean Mr. Rich?" asked Math. "Yeah, I believe so."

"And she's the mother of Diamond Tiara as well," added Rarity. "Sweetie Belle told me about the trouble she got her and her friends into."

"Ah thought that there name sounded familiar," replied Applejack with suspicion.

"I honestly wonder how Mr. Rich can even bear to tolerate her," pondered Rarity.

"Especially since he's always been nice to us," added Math. Everyone agreed.

"The world may never know," answered Sandalwood.

"Thanks for standing up to her, you guys," Micro Chips said to Math and Rarity. "Don't know what we'd have done if you hadn't been here."

"Don't mention it, darlings," replied Rarity. "Nobody should be treated differently simply because they like someone of the same gender."

"What do ya'll mean, lakin' someone of the same gender?" asked Apple Bloom; this was a new concept to her.

"Sandalwood and I are gay," Micro Chips explained.

"As in happy?" asked Apple Bloom. "That doesn't seem to be the case right now."

"Heh, no, Apple Bloom," Big Mac chuckled. "He means they're in love wit' each other."

"Wha?" Apple Bloom was confused by this, which was understandable for someone at her young age.

"We should probably start from the beginning," said Micro Chips. "Remember when we tried asking a few other girls out back in 2011?"

"Eeyup," said Big Macintosh.

"We didn't want people to know of our sexuality back then," said Sandalwood, "especially as it was during a time when Starlight Glimmer sort of ruled the school."

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 13, 2011**

Micro Chips wasn't feeling happy. Earlier that morning, he'd asked a girl called Sweet Leaf if she wanted to go with him to the Fall Formal, but she was already going out with another student named Heath Burns.

"Guess they prefer going for the stronger athletes," sighed Micro.

Meanwhile, Sandalwood was also having trouble. He was trying to ask Fluttershy if she wanted to go with him, but couldn't quite spit it out.

"Um, are you alright?" asked Fluttershy, confused by his strange behavior.

"I... um... me... you... dance..." Sandalwood managed to splutter out.

"You want to go to the Fall Formal with me?" asked Fluttershy, understanding what he was trying to say. Sandalwood nodded.

"I could," said Fluttershy, "but Big Macintosh already asked me out."

Hearing that made Sandalwood's heart sink.

"Oh," he said quietly. "It's cool, Flutters. I understand." With that, he slumped away. _What am I gonna do for the Formal?_ Sandalwood thought sadly to himself.

* * *

Later in the day, he was hanging out with some of the other boys; namely Flash Sentry, Brawly Beats and Micro Chips. Flash wasn't feeling happy right now.

"Why didn't I ask Twilight as soon as I heard the news of the Formal?" he said with annoyance. "Darn that Math Equation..."

"Hey, don't feel bad, buddy," said Brawly Beats, putting a hand on Flash's shoulder. "A group of girls didn't want to go out with me either. They say I'm too beaty, but I don't get it."

"We've got no dates either," said Micro Chips.

"I tried to ask Fluttershy to the dance," said Sandalwood, "but she was already taken by Big Macintosh. Bummer."

"Life sucks," grumbled Flash. "It's always so cruel to the guys who did nothing wrong..."

"Bad things happen to everyone," insisted Micro Chips. "Whether they're good or bad." Sandalwood quietly agreed with that assessment. At that moment, Sunset Shimmer was walking by when Flash called out to her.

"Hey Sunset!"

"Yes?" she replied, turning to face him. Sandalwood and Micro Chips wondered what was going to happen.

"Do you have a date for the Fall Formal yet?" asked Flash.

"Well, no," replied Sunset. "I was gonna a-"

"Did you wanna go with me?" asked Flash, not bothering to hear that Sunset was going to say next.

"But I thought you were asking Twilight out," said Sunset with surprise. "Unless-"

"Math Equation beat me to it."

"Ohh..." Sunset paused for a moment before deciding her answer. "Okay, Flash. I guess I could go with you." But she didn't sound very sure.

"Great!" exclaimed Flash, pulling Sunset into a hug. "Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome... I guess." Flash let go of her and headed on his way. Micro Chips could see that Sunset was feeling rather uneasy about the whole ordeal.

"Don't you think something's up with Flash?" he asked.

"I think so," said Sunset. "I just wonder why he asked me and not another girl. Vincent, forgive me..." she whispered quietly.

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 30, 2011**

Soon came the night of the Fall Formal. Because neither Micro Chips nor Sandalwood could find a girl willing to go out with them, they ended up going together as friends.

"So we both got no dates," said Sandalwood. "Bummer."

"Well, at least we still have each other," said Micro Chips. "Right?"

"True." It was only a few minutes before either spoke up again.

"Hey, uh, I've been wondering," said Sandalwood.

"What about?" asked Micro Chips.

"Have you... ever thought about being close with someone you've known for a while?"

"Well... that thought never occurred to me," Micro Chips admitted. "Why are you asking that, Sandalwood?"

"Cause... well..." Sandalwood began awkwardly, "I like you."

"Wh-what do you mean, 'like me'?" asked Micro Chips, blushing.

"As in... like you, like you."

Micro Chips was taken back by this sudden bombshell. Then suddenly, he felt a sick feeling in his stomach; he politely excused himself and then quickly ran to the nearest bathroom. Once he got there, he ran into a stall, closed the door and began to throw up into the toilet. He just couldn't believe a male friend of his had just said that he liked him as more than a friend.

"I really need to think this through..." he muttered to himself.

* * *

Back in the gym, Sandalwood was waiting anxiously for Micro Chips to return. Had he been too forward about how he admitted his feelings?

"I hope I didn't scare him into hating me..."

"Is there anything wrong, Sandalwood?" asked a voice. It was Flash.

"There... kind of is," Sandalwood admitted.

"What's the problem?" asked Sunset. Sandalwood told them about what had just happened.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," said Sunset sympathetically. She put an arm around Sandalwood for comfort. Flash, on the other hand, was rather taken aback by the bombshell Sandalwood had just dropped. He simply didn't know how to respond. At that moment, Celestia addressed the crowd.

"Good evening, Canterlot High," she said. "How is everyone doing?" Most of the students responded positively. Sandalwood did, but Sunset could see it looked forced.

"Happy to hear that," Celestia smiled. "It's now time for the dancing."

"We'll catch up later," said Sunset. "You okay with that?"

"Sure," said Sandalwood. "You go on and have fun." Sandalwood sighed as he sat down on a nearby chair, watching many of the couples at the Formal dance.

* * *

After a while, Sandalwood noticed that Micro Chips still hadn't returned to the gym. He didn't take much notice to the events going on around him, not even Vincent suffering humiliation thanks to Starlight and Trixie's sabotage.

"Maybe I should head on home," Sandalwood decided. He began to take off for home. But as he walked outside, he heard someone crying. He looked over to see Sunset sitting by the Canterlot High statue, face buried in her knees.

"Sunset?" he asked. "What's wrong?"

"I made fun of Vincent," Sunset sniffled. "And then Flash called off our date and told me to stay away from him."

"Harsh," said Sandalwood. "I thought you and Vincent were friends. Why would you make fun of him?"

"I-I don't know," said Sunset, trying to avoid mentioning Starlight and Trixie. "It just happened without rhyme or reason. Was your night any better?"

"Not really," replied Sandalwood. "Micro Chips never returned to the gym. I'm thinking of heading home right now."

"Would you like me to join you?" asked Sunset. After upsetting Vincent (though it was really Starlight's fault), she felt like she wanted to do a good deed to make up for it.

"Sure," said Sandalwood. As the two walked, Sunset spoke up again.

"How did you realize you were gay?" she asked.

"It must've been around the time I started attending CHS," Sandalwood explained. "Most guys usually spend their time checking out the girls. I didn't know why, but when I was younger, I didn't really find girls attractive; no offense intended, you understand."

"No, it's fine," said Sunset.

"Anyway," continued Sandalwood, "the reason I wanted to ask Fluttershy out was because I was afraid of who I was."

"What made you sort of 'come out' to Micro Chips?" asked Sunset.

"He and I were best friends when we first met," said Sandalwood. "But inside, I felt certain... shall we say, 'feelings' toward him that weren't exactly mutual, if you know what I mean."

"I do..." Sunset admitted, looking somewhat embarrassed.

"Really?" asked Sandalwood.

"Yeah," said Sunset. "But I want to tell people in my own time."

"Of course," promised Sandalwood. Before they knew it, they had arrived at Sandalwood's home.

"Well, here we are," said Sandalwood. "Hey, thanks for the talk we had, Sunset."

"You feeling better now that we talked?" asked Sunset.

Sandalwood nodded. "See you later, Sunset. Good night!"

"Good night!" she called back, before heading for home. She was feeling a little better speaking with Sandalwood, but still felt that she'd let Vincent down.

* * *

 **OCTOBER 25, 2011**

A few weeks went by at Canterlot High School, but during that time, neither Micro Chips nor Sandalwood ran into each other since the latter's coming out in front of the former.

At the moment, Micro Chips was over at the computer lab. He was currently looking up articles for a report in one of his classes. As he researched, a thought came to him.

 _What he said that night,_ he thought, _did he really mean it?_

Presently, Sandalwood came up to him. "Hey, Micro Chips."

"Oh, hey, Sandalwood," Micro Chips answered back. "How have you been?"

"Okay, I guess," answered Sandalwood. "You?"

"Fine." After a brief moment of silence, Micro Chips spoke up again. "So, um... about the Fall Formal?"

"Yes?"

"What you said, about you liking me," said Micro Chips. "Did you really mean that?"

Sandalwood thought for a moment. "Yeah, I guess I do. But... why'd you run off on me?"

"It wasn't that I was uncomfortable," said Micro Chips, "but it was because of how my mother would react if she knew."

"Why's that?" asked Sandalwood.

"She doesn't believe that guys should be able to like guys... in that context," answered Micro Chips.

"Does that mean...?" Sandalwood asked hopefully. Micro Chips nodded, and then the two boys embraced in a hug.


	9. SLS9 - Cloud Nine

I was hoping to get this done for LGBT Pride Month, but we got delayed by a lot, and the fact that I suffered a bit of harassment on FIM Fiction didn't really help much (long story; don't ask). But hopefully, this wait was worth it for the final of the LGBT mini saga for this volume.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 9 - Cloud Nine (Harrison, 1987)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Mike Nicholson**

 **JANUARY 28, 2014**

"...and that's pretty much how it happened," explained Micro Chips, finishing the tale. "Although Sandalwood and I were in love, we kept it closeted for a while, especially if my mother knew I was dating a boy."

"But," said Sandalwood, "we did open up eventually to some close friends, especially after Sunset was freed from Starlight and Trixie's bullying."

"So _that's_ what's been goin' on," Applejack said at last.

"We didn't want anyone to criticize us," explained Micro Chips.

"I don't think you two have anything to worry about," said Rarity.

"We don't?" asked Sandalwood.

"I know how both of you feel," Rarity explained. "Whilst I like guys like Math here, I also like girls, and it took me a while to accept that about myself. Now it doesn't bother me any."

Math was surprised that Rarity would have feelings for people of both genders. But he didn't want to say anything to hurt her feelings.

"Well," said Applejack, "Ah'm not so sure how Granny Smith would react if she heard this. She is rather traditional. But maybe she'll learn ta warm up to y'all's views one day."

"You think so?" asked Micro Chips.

"Eeyup," agreed Big Macintosh. Micro Chips and Sandalwood felt better at hearing this support from their friends.

* * *

With their confidence boosted, Micro Chips and Sandalwood decided to come out to their families, starting with the latter's family.

"I've never been to your place before," said Micro Chips. "What'll your family think?"

"I'm sure they'll be chill," said Sandalwood. But Micro Chips wasn't fully convinced; what was his boyfriend's family like, and would they even accept him, much less the fact their son was dating him?

Before long, they came to Sandalwood's house.

"I guess your parents are Woodstock fans," said Micro Chips when he saw the house's appearance.

"It was actually designed by my father's parents," explained Sandalwood. "But thanks. Wait until you see what's inside."

When he first walked inside the house, Micro Chips could see that the interior of Sandalwood's home had a lot of Jamaican influence. Some of the pillows and paintings on the wall had a psychedelic color scheme to them, there was a lava lamp on the table, and some Bob Marley music could be heard on an old record player.

"Quite... er... groovy," said Micro Chips, trying to find the right word. Just then, a voice was heard.

"Sandalwood, is that you?" asked the female voice.

"That's my mother," Sandalwood explained to Micro Chips. Sandalwood's mother wore a long-sleeved shirt decorated in flowers, a denim skirt, and leather sandals. She had grayish amber hair and her eyes were a different shade of green to her son's.

"I see you've brought a friend with you as well," she said, taking noticing of Micro Chips.

"It's... kind of more complicated, mom," Sandalwood admitted, sounding a bit unsure himself.

"What do you mean?" his mother asked, not understanding. "Whatever it is, Sandalwood, I'll listen to you."

Sandalwood tugged at his collar and gulped. It was now or never.

"Mom... Micro Chips and I are in a relationship."

"A relationship?" asked Sandalwood's mother.

"Y-yes," said Sandalwood, preparing for the worst. But, to his surprise, the worst never came to him or Micro Chips.

"That's wonderful!" said Sandalwood's mother. Both boys looked at her in partial confusion, but mostly relief.

"How did you realize you were in love with him?" she asked her son. Sandalwood and Micro Chips told her the same story they told back at Sugarcube Corner, and how Spoiled Rich gave them verbal abuse just for being in love. Sandalwood's mother gasped when she heard this.

"That harpy!" she shrieked. "I knew she was a devil woman, but to harass people for their sexuality?! Instant karma will get her if I don't get her first!" The two boys agreed.

"I'm just worried about how my parents are going to react," said Micro Chips, and explained the situation to Sandalwood and his mother.

"Don't worry," said Sandalwood. "I'm sure if we explain it to them, they'll understand."

"I hope so," replied Micro Chips. But when he and Sandalwood told the former's parents about their relationship...

"WHAT?!"

...Micro Chips' mother... wasn't too happy. She was a strict woman in her late forties with grayish lavender hair, dark eyes and round glasses. Her husband had dark purple hair and green eyes, and was quietly processing the information his son had given him.

"Sixteen years," Micro Chips' mother said, before going on a tirade. "I spent sixteen years doing whatever was possible to mold you into the best you could be. Years of advanced studying, hoping the greatest colleges on earth would accept you, and for what?! So you could throw it all away by dating a male rather than a female?!"

"I'm sorry, mother," said Micro Chips, trying to keep calm about the whole situation, "but I didn't choose to be homosexual..."

"Don't you even think of saying that disgusting word in my presence!" his mother snarled, pointing an angry finger at him. "Love is strictly meant to be between a man and a woman! If you cannot accept that, then you are no longer a member of this family!"

"Oh, shut up, you old bat!"

Micro Chips' mother turned and stared crossly; it was her husband who had spoken up.

"What did you say to me?" she asked in a calm, but still angry tone.

"I said, shut up, you old bat," her husband repeated, putting more emphasis as he spoke. "I have had enough of your strict obsession with everything done the way you want it to be done. Our son is not a machine you can program to do what you say! He is a human being capable of making his own choices! Just because your mother was an obsessive control freak to you your entire life does not give you the right to do the exact same thing to Micro Chips!"

Well, Micro Chips' mother could not believe what she had heard. Even her own husband had turned against her.

"Families are meant to be loving and supportive of their children," the father went on. "To respect the choices they make, and show that they care for them. You will have to decide what is truly important to you; family, or pride." He then opened the door and pointed to it. "And until then, I never want to see you here again!"

Micro Chips' mother was even more unhappy. Not only was her son gay, but now her own husband was disowning her and kicking her out. She stormed angrily out without a word, trying her best to hold back her tears. After she'd left, Micro Chips' father turned to his son in Sandalwood's arms, a little shaken from their argument.

"I'm very sorry you had to see that," he said, his expression softening. "Though truth be told, it felt so great to finally tell that woman off."

"Y-you don't mind...?" Micro Chips was unable to finish his question.

"Of course not," smiled his father. "If what you do makes you happy, then I'm happy."

"Thanks, dad." While it was a relief for Micro Chips and Sandalwood that someone had their back, they weren't out of the woods just yet.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 1, 2014**

A few days later, Spoiled Rich was pampering herself with a Spa treatment. As she was reading a magazine, she looked at the window and noticed something she thought to be truly shocking. Sandalwood and Micro Chips were walking into Filthy Rich's shop. But Spoiled Rich didn't want her treatment to end so abruptly and decided to wait until it had finished; yet to her, each minute felt like twenty.

Inside the shop, Micro Chips and Sandalwood were doing some shopping. The Apple family was there as well doing business with Filthy Rich.

"Well, howdy, fellas," greeted Applejack when she saw her friends. "What brings y'all down here?"

"We were picking out some cheesecake," said Micro Chips.

"Here's a free sample tray of different flavors," offered Filthy Rich. "Try some and see which ones you like most."

There were a lot of flavors to choose from; strawberry, peanut butter chocolate, salted caramel, coffee and cream, cherry, lemon meringue, red velvet, mango key lime, pumpkin, fresh banana, chocolate mousse, you name it. But before the two boys could get to tasting...

"Stop right there!" Silence filled the air as Spoiled Rich stormed in.

"Oh, hello there, dear," said Filthy Rich rather calmly. "You're back early."

"Never mind me," said Spoiled Rich. "What are those two freaks doing in our shop?!"

"We're just looking to buy some cheesecake," said Sandalwood. "It's not like we're stealing anything without paying."

"People like you have no right being in respectable places like these!" protested Spoiled Rich.

"What exactly is going on?" demanded Filthy Rich.

In another part of the shop, Twilight and Shining Armor were looking at options for presents for the latter's wedding anniversary with Cadance. To Shining Armor, it would also double as a Valentine's Day present for his wife. Suddenly, Twilight could hear a commotion from nearby.

"What's going on over there?" she asked.

"Looks like a dispute," said her brother.

"Sandalwood and I are dating, Mr. Rich," Micro Chips explained. When Filthy Rich heard this, his mouth dropped.

"You see?" said Spoiled Rich. "He admits the crime!"

"There's no crime in lovin' anyone, if ya'll ask me!" snapped Applejack.

"You stay out of this, hillbilly!" snapped Spoiled Rich.

"And that 'hillbilly', as ya'll so rudely put it, happens ta be one of the daughters of yer husband's business partners!" retorted Applejack. "Even though we come from different social classes, do you know what the one thing we have in common is?"

"What?" sniffed Spoiled Rich.

"We're both religious people," said Applejack. "Ah'm half Christian, spreading the true message of the Bible. Yet yer a full Christian who is only usin' the Bible as an excuse to bully those you believe are beneath you. And if yer God's beliefs are the same as mah God, then Ah don't want to be in the same church as you!"

Watching Applejack stand up to Spoiled Rich encouraged Micro Chips and Sandalwood to do the same.

"Applejack's right," said Micro Chips. "And if you think that there's something wrong with us, then maybe you should look in a mirror and see who's actually messed in the head!"

Flash Sentry had walked into the store just in time to see one of his closest friends arguing with Spoiled Rich.

"Grew a spine, have you?" Spoiled Rich sneered. "I'll teach you to talk back to a lady like that!" She pulled her arm back, as if she intended to strike Micro Chips with it, when...

"ENOUGH!"

... Filthy Rich grabbed her arm and stopped her. Spoiled Rich could not believe what her husband was doing.

"D-dear?" she gasped.

"Don't you 'dear' me," Filthy Rich scolded. "Your behavior has been nothing short of appalling! And after what I've witnessed, it's no surprise where Diamond Tiara gets her behavior from!"

Before Spoiled Rich could reply, Shining Armor spoke up.

"I took the liberty of contacting the police with this newfound information," said Shining Armor.

"The police?" gawked Spoiled Rich. "But why would they want me? I'm rich!"

"Wealth does not exclude anyone from the law."

Before long, a police car pulled up. Night Light and another officer came out of the car and walked into the store.

"Spoiled Rich," said Night Light, "you are under arrest."

"For what charges?"

"Attempting to assault a minor, for one," said Shining Armor. "And all just because their beliefs didn't line up with yours. That is a petty crime if I ever heard of one."

"How would you know about this?!" snapped Spoiled Rich. "You're just a worthless nobody!"

"Because, he's an officer in training, _and_ my son," said Night Light. He and his fellow officer approached Spoiled Rich with handcuffs.

"You can't do this to me!" Spoiled Rich screamed as she was being dragged away. "Filthy, do something! Stop them!" But to her dismay, her husband just stared her in the eye and said nothing.

"So is the wicked witch finally getting what's coming to her?" asked Flash. He hadn't spoken since he'd first walked into the store.

"Looks like it to me," said Micro Chips.

"That'll be a relief if that's the case," said Flash. "Are you two alright?"

"We are now," said Sandalwood.

"You think you two will be okay now?" asked Twilight. "Especially if you decide to fully come out at school."

"I'm almost sure of it," said Micro Chips. "And Flash... you don't mind that Sandalwood and I are in a relationship, do you?"

"No, I'm happy for you," said Flash. "I'm sorry I didn't answer sooner." He then pulled both of them in for hug. "But if you two are happy being together, then that's good enough for me." Micro Chips and Sandalwood felt that this was the stepping stone to what they now had to do...

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 3, 2014**

The following Monday, they decided to come clean about their relationship to the rest of Canterlot High School. Despite Twilight's initial concerns, many of the student body was very supportive of the two boys and their relationship, even more so how they stood up to someone like Spoiled Rich. Even so, Micro Chips still didn't feel like all the loose ends had been tied up with his mother.

When he came home from school after a surprisingly easy day, especially now that a lot of weight was off his back, Micro Chips was surprised to see his mother standing outside his home. Even more surprising was that her expression seemed rather regretful.

"M-mother?" Micro Chips asked awkwardly. "What're you doing here? You and dad aren't officially splitting, are you?"

"It's not really that," she replied. "It's just... I wanted to apologize for my behavior and poor reaction to you... coming out." Micro Chips was surprised by this, but didn't say anything as to let his mother continue. "I'd actually been speaking with the mother of your lover... Sandalwood, was it?"

"Yes," said Micro Chips.

"Well, anyway," his mother continued, "that weekend, I had an encounter with his mother at a coffee shop in Canterlot, and she called me out for my behavior, having heard about what I said from her own son and even asked why I acted like that. It was mostly down to my own mother being strict with me whenever I misbehaved in my youth, and considering what happened last week, that rubbed off on me in the worst possible way. I should've been more considerate for your feelings, Micro Chips. If you end up failing at some point down the road..."

Micro Chips winced, preparing for the worst.

"Then I will support you and your decisions."

"You will?" asked Micro Chips, surprised at the bombshell.

"Yes," said his mother. "But will you accept me as your mother again?"

"Of course I will," said Micro Chips. On that note, mother and son went back inside the house.

But what happened to Spoiled Rich, you ask? She was to be sentenced up to a year in prison for assault towards a minor unless she paid a fine of $1,000 for release. When she heard that Filthy Rich had planned on divorcing from her following the incident and gain full custody of Diamond Tiara, she tried to fight him in court but they sided with her soon-to-be-ex-husband instead (I won't bore you with the details). To make things worse for the wretched woman, he refused to help her pay for her bail and she was forced to spend an entire year in a prison cell. Spoiled Rich vowed to get her own back on those who ruined her, but I don't think she'll be achieving this any time soon. Do you?

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Although it wasn't explicity stated in the previous chapter, Sunset is a closeted bisexual.**

 **Math Equation is a Christian raised on the more conservative side of the political spectrum; however, neither he nor his family hold any judgment towards people on the other side of the spectrum. This bit of information was added in by Mike.**


	10. SLS10 - Nobody Loves You (Down and Out)

I can't believe I'd forgotten to post this here as soon as I finished it. So much stuff happened that I nearly forgot. Ah well, better late than never, and at last, we can see how the love battle between Sunset and Blossomforth comes to an end.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 10 - Nobody Loves You (When You're Down and Out) (Lennon, 1974)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and James Riddle**

 **FEBRUARY 8, 2014**

At Sweet Apple Recording Acres, the Rainbooms were feeling rather pleased with themselves. They had completed all the tracks they had intended to include for their first album, and were now in the process of deciding upon a final tracklisting. So far, they had planned upon opening with "Perfect Day for Fun" and closing with "A Friend for Life".

"Now what can we do for the others?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"I would like to make the first call, if it's okay," said Sunset. "I figure 'My Past is Not Today' should go as the eighth track."

"But why that particular spot, sugarcube?" asked Applejack.

"I just have a fascination with the number eight," Sunset shrugged. "Somehow, I feel as if I'm connected to it in some way."

"I'm pretty sure I know why," grinned Rainbow Dash cheekily. "Try looking in a mirror at your body figure."

"Rainbow Dash!" scolded Rarity whilst Sunset blushed with a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance. "How would you like it if someone made fun of your figure?"

"Sorry," said Rainbow Dash, realizing that Rarity was right. "Well, if you want your song to have the number eight spot, then that's where it'll go. We'll have to arrange the rest of the songs around it."

So that's what they did; within fifteen minutes, the Rainbooms had finalized the track listing as follows:

Perfect Day for Fun

Time to Come Together

Music in the Treetops/Find the Music in You

Shake Your Tail

Art of the Dress

The Smile Song

Raise This Barn

My Past is Not Today

Generosity

A True, True Friend

A Friend for Life

"Now that is a nifty list," said Pinkie Pie.

"Yep, but we may want to give that a test listen just ta be sure," said Applejack. So they did, and the track listing's flow turned out to be even better than they had thought.

"Well, how about that," said Applejack. "It's almost as if we knew what we were doin'."

"But since we're performing at the Valentine's Day Formal," said Fluttershy, "will it be enough to fill an hour?"

"I'm afraid not," said Rarity. "Even if we included the songs we're planning to release as singles, it's not even forty minutes, let alone an hour."

"What if, instead of writing some new songs," suggested Sunset, "we play a few of our favorite songs from other artists?"

"That's actually not a bad idea there, Sunset," said Applejack. "I reckon we could probably throw in somethin' from the Heartbreakers or Bob Dylan."

"How about something from the Beatles?" suggested Rainbow Dash. "But not something _too_ long, of course."

In the end, the Rainbooms decided to play six cover songs for their first ever show. Applejack suggested to Rainbow Dash that she sing "I Won't Back Down" as it fit the latter's rebellious nature better; meanwhile, both Rarity and Sunset had decided upon a duet version of "Space Oddity". Applejack and Fluttershy would have their own respective performances on "Jailhouse Rock" and "Mr. Tambourine Man", whilst Pinkie Pie sang "Yellow Submarine". All six decided upon ending the show with "Bohemian Rhapsody" for an encore.

They were just starting the song when Vincent came in.

"Hey, everyone," he greeted.

"Oh, hi there, swee... Vincent," said Sunset, blushing at her near slip up. "What're you doing here?"

"I came down to spend time with you," said Vincent.

"Aww..." giggled Sunset. She walked over to give Vincent a hug and a peck on the cheek. The other Rainbooms were quick to notice.

"You two are so perfect together," said Rarity.

"A bit like Dash and a certain sports guy we all know," added Applejack.

"Yeah, like me and Soa-" Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped and blushed in embarrassment. "Applejack!" she snapped with annoyance. The farm girl just chuckled at her own wit.

"Not that I'm against you and Sunset being together," said Pinkie, "but there's one other person who's out for your heart, Vincent."

The blue haired boy realized what Pinkie was talking about. "You don't mean...?"

"Yup," confirmed Pinkie Pie. "Blossomforth."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 10, 2014**

Ever since the confrontation with Sunset eight months ago, Blossomforth had been thinking of ways she could win Vincent's heart. She started by sending Vincent some rather cheesy love letters. This of course left Vincent rather disgusted and annoyed. Then she tried bumping into him "accidentally" a few times, leaving him rather irritated. She even tried using sweets to win him over. Unfortunately, she got hungry and ate them instead.

"What am I going to do now?" she moaned to herself. That Monday at CHS, Blossomforth was going to have a last-ditch attempt in getting Vincent's attention.

"Oh, Vincent?" she called from outside. "Could you come out here for a second? There's something important I need to talk to you about."

"Can this wait?" asked Vincent. "I'm studying for a test." He wasn't really; Vincent was saying it to avoid Blossomforth.

"It won't be long," said Blossomforth.

"Ugh... fine," said Vincent. "But make it quick." He made his way outside to where Blossomforth was waiting.

"What is it you want?" he asked with annoyance.

"This," giggled Blossomforth. She leaned forward and planted her lips right on Vincent's while placing one of his hands on her plump belly.

Unfortunately for both, Sunset had turned up just in time to witness the scene. It looked as if her worst nightmare had come true... or had it? Without any further warning, Vincent used his free hand to push Blossomforth back.

"What are you playing at?!" he shouted. Sunset felt rather relieved that Vincent wouldn't betray her. Yet she was also a bit worried by his temper.

"V-Vincent, w-what's wrong?" asked Blossomforth, sounding scared.

"I'm tired of you harassing me like this!" snapped Vincent. "I am dating Sunset, not you; now will you finally leave me alone?!"

Well, Blossomforth felt as if her heart had just been ripped to shreds. Tears began to stream down her face as she backed away from Vincent. Before he could say anything, Blossomforth ran away crying loudly.

"Oh no..." said Vincent quietly. "I didn't mean to take it _that_ far..."

"Are you alright, Vincent?" asked Sunset.

"I can't believe I snapped at her like that," said Vincent. "What am I going to do?"

"Maybe you could try speaking with her to clear things up," said Sunset. "Hopefully before she thinks of doing something stupid."

"Sunset! Please don't say that," groaned Vincent, remembering the stupid things he and Sunset had done before.

"Sorry," said Sunset. "But still, you know what I mean."

* * *

Blossomforth had hidden herself by the gym bleachers, crying.

"It's not fair," she sobbed. "It's just not fair. Why can't Vincent love me? Is there anything he even likes about me, or is it because I'm fat?! What does he even see in bacon hair, anyway? Her big butt?" She was so busy crying and complaining that she didn't notice Vincent and Sunset come in.

"Blossomforth?" asked Vincent. Blossomforth lifted her head up when she heard that voice.

"Oh, it's you," she sulked. "Have you come to gloat and make fun of my misery?"

"Of course not," objected Vincent. "I wanted to say I was sorry for hurting your feelings like that."

"Yeah, right," complained Blossomforth. "You're just saying that to make yourself look good in front of your girlfriend."

"He's telling the truth," Sunset insisted. "I told him apologizing was the right thing to do."

"Why do you two love each other?" asked Blossomforth.

"You remember that assembly from last year, don't you?" asked Sunset.

"I remember."

"There's more to mine and Vincent's relationship than you think," continued Sunset. "If he hadn't saved me from Starlight and Trixie's torment, I would've ended up in a far worse position."

Blossomforth thought about what Sunset had said; if Vincent hadn't saved Sunset, chances are she might have driven herself further and further into isolation... or worse, did something she didn't want to think about.

"Not only that," said Vincent, "Sunset and I have known each other for years, and I've only known you for a couple of years at best. Plus, you're kind of... obsessive."

"What do you mean, obsessive?!" snapped Blossomforth. "Is it cause I was a big eater when I was a kid?"

"That wasn't what Vincent was implying," said Sunset. "He means that you tend to make him uncomfortable with that obsessive crush you have on him."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I had something similar like that a couple of years ago with Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine," added Vincent. "When some girl that I don't know very well gets flirtatious around me, I get really nervous, almost like I want to throw up."

"I didn't know you went through that," said Blossomforth quietly. "I'm really sorry."

"It's fine," said Vincent. "Though, I must ask, if that's alright with you; what did you mean about being a big eater?"

"When I was a little kid," said Blossomforth, "I had a big love for food. You see, my mom's a wonderful cook."

"And I guess that's why your belly's been so big." said Vincent.

"Yeah," said Blossomforth. "I was made fun of in middle school, and was always called the fat kid in my classroom."

"Kids can be so cruel," said Sunset.

"Which reminds me; what was it about me that you liked?" asked Vincent.

"Well," began Blossomforth, "you seemed really kind to me since you didn't tease me for my weight. And I liked how you were brave enough to defend Comet Tail from that bully Justice Stability."

"I never judge anybody by their physical appearance," said Vincent. "It's rather unfair to do so." Hearing that from her boyfriend made Sunset feel terrible about insulting Blossomforth for her weight last year, especially as it was after she was freed from Starlight and Trixie's bullying.

"I'm sorry for ever making fun of your weight," said Sunset.

"And I'm sorry for making fun of your body shape," said Blossomforth. "That was uncalled for. But even then, I probably don't deserve to be your friend..."

"What are you talking about?" asked Vincent, surprised by the comment. "We do want to be your friend, but only if you promise us something."

"What is that?" asked Blossomforth.

"Can you try and accept that I love Sunset?"

"I'll try," sighed Blossomforth. To her surprise, Vincent then pulled her in for a hug, as did Sunset. This act of kindness brought a smile to Blossomforth as she embraced her new friends.

"You know something?" asked Vincent.

"What's that?" asked Blossomforth.

"Someone had a theory about there being alternate universes that were different to this one," said Vincent. "Can you image if one of those universes involved me being in a harem with both you girls?"

"That sounds silly," said Blossomforth. "I doubt that would even work out."

"You never know for sure," Sunset suggested. "I'm a bit curious at the idea myself." While Blossomforth was distracted, Sunset began to rub the former's belly playfully.

"S-Sunset!" Blossomforth giggled. "That tickles!" Vincent grinned mischievously.

"Mind if I join in?" he asked.

"The more the merrier," giggled Sunset. Vincent then began to tickle Sunset's belly. Sunset shrieked with laughter as she felt her boyfriend's fingers on her belly.

"You cheeky boy!" Sunset giggled, covering her abdomen with her arms, blushing madly.

"Let's get him!" suggested Blossomforth. She and Sunset then tackled Vincent and started to tickle him.

"Help!" cried Vincent as the girls piled on top of him. Suddenly, Sunset noticed the nearby clock.

"Five minutes before lunch break is over!" she cried.

"We'd best get going," said Blossomforth. "I can't believe we lost track of time."

"Neither can I," said Vincent. "I guess we'll see you around on campus, Blossomforth."

"You too," Blossomforth said. With that, the trio parted ways.

* * *

As Blossomforth was making her way down to class, she didn't walk where she was going.

"Whoa!" Her big belly bumped into another student's face. He'd been tying his shoe at the time.

"Oh my!" cried Blossomforth. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm good," came the student. Blossomforth looked down at the student she had bumped into.

"Oh, hey there, Sandbar," she said. "Sorry that my belly bumped into your face. Sometimes, I swear it has a mind of its own."

"Sure it wasn't just trying to kiss me?" Sandbar joked.

"Maybe if it were exposed a bit more," teased Blossomforth. Before this supposed flirting could go on, the bell rang.

"Erm, see you after school?" asked Sandbar, getting up and picking up his book bag.

"Sure," said Blossomforth. With that, Blossomforth carried on to class.

 _Wow, she's sure pretty,_ thought Sandbar. So it would seem that Blossomforth had gained herself an admirer. Perhaps this would someday make her feel better about the whole Vincent incident...


	11. SLS11 - Love First, Ask Questions Later

Here's chapter eleven!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 11 - Love First, Ask Questions Later (Starr, 2003)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **JANUARY 24, 2014**

"It took quite a while for me to fully regain everyone's trust. And there's some people who still don't trust me."

"Seems to always be a few that are too stubborn. Wanna go get some grub?"

"Sure; telling tales from the past makes me hungry." Trixie and her new friend Sandbar then made their way to the local diner, and from a distance, it almost looked as if they were holding hands. Trixie then pulled out her phone from her pocket to let her mother know where she was.

"Mom?" she called. "I'm getting lunch with a new friend I met."

" _It's not that Starlight Glimmer girl again, is it?_ "

"No, mom; it's a boy called Sandbar."

" _Oh, you've got a boyfriend already?!_ " Trixie's mother cried excitedly.

"Eh... well, not exactly," Trixie gulped. _How will I explain my situation to my mother?_ " We-we're just friends, that's all."

" _Ah, first step of love,_ " giggled her mother. " _Denying your crush on a guy. Not unlike how I met your father._ "

"Moooom..." Trixie groaned with embarrassment.

" _You'll get there eventually; so, anything else happen today?_ "

"Just the usual school stuff," sighed Trixie. "We're on our way to the diner, and I'll let you know when I get home, okay?"

" _Of course,_ " said her mother. " _I'm sure you'll find something very tasty down there._ "

"Yeah," said Trixie. "I'll see you when I get home, mom; I love you."

" _Love you too, sweetheart._ " Trixie sighed as she put her phone back in her pocket.

"You alright, Trix?" asked Sandbar.

"Well, this is kinda hard to explain..." she sighed. "Eh... mom's got a very strange idea in her head."

"Something must be bothering you, I see," said Sandbar. "Maybe we could talk about it when we get there?" Trixie nodded thankfully. Already, she could tell Sandbar was a good sort of person.

* * *

A few minutes later, they turned up at the local diner and got their own table.

"So, Trixie," Sandbar said when they were settled, "what's on your mind?"

"It's rather... complicated," Trixie admitted. "You'll understand why it's hard for me, right?" Sandbar nodded in understanding, so Trixie continued.

"Well... I'm a lesbian," she said quietly, so that other people wouldn't overhear. However, she said it loud enough so Sandbar could hear her.

"Is that why you were attracted to Starlight?" asked Sandbar.

"You... know?!"

"N-no, I wasn't sure if you were," said Sandbar, sounding a bit nervous. "I-I was simply making an observation."

"I-it's fine," sighed Trixie. "And you're right. I _am_ attracted to her. Or rather, I _was_ attracted to her before I realized what a toxic influence she was on me."

"Ouch," gasped Sandbar. "I'm sorry to hear that..."

"It's not your fault," sighed Trixie. "I just don't know what I'll be able to do with my love life..."

"I'm sure there will be some other girl who's going to make their way into your life," Sandbar said comfortingly.

"Y... you think so?" asked Trixie.

"I know so," said Sandbar. "I may not know exactly who, but... you will know when you meet her."

Trixie felt her eyes well up with tears; for the first time in ages, it felt like she had an actual friend to give her support when she needed it the most.

"Thank you, Sandbar..." she cried. "I'm glad to have met you." Trixie then threw her arms around her friend in a hug. "If I wasn't lesbian, I'd marry you."

"Even if I'm shorter than you?" asked Sandbar.

"You're funny, Sandbar," Trixie giggled.

"I'll take that a compliment."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 10, 2014**

"I can't believe it's really coming together," grinned Sunset.

"What is, Sunset?" asked Vincent, not understanding where she was coming from.

"Silly," she giggled. "We're officially a couple. It's like our relationship is on a whole new level."

"Oh, right," said Vincent. "Shall we...?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Sunset then pressed her lips on Vincent's and began kissing. Taken by surprise, Vincent started to kiss her back and they embraced in the snow. The two of them hardly noticed a younger figure walking up to them.

"Aww, how sweet, big brother."

Both Vincent and Sunset broke from their kiss and turned to who interrupted their sweet moment.

"F-Fictionary?!" gasped Vincent in embarrassment.

"Why are you here?" asked Sunset.

"I was going home, but I saw this and... well, curiosity gets the better of me."

"Was dad unable to pick you up?" asked Vincent.

"He said he'd be home late," said Fictionary. "So he sent me over to Canterlot High so Flash could pick me up."

"That would explain it," said Sunset.

"And for you two kissing," said Fictionary. "Does it mean...?"

"That's right," said Sunset. "Vincent and I are an official couple."

"Yes!" cried Fictionary, jumping up and down in excitement. "I knew it! I knew it! But what took so long for you to confess?"

"Well, we did on New Year's Day," admitted Vincent, "but we weren't sure if it would work out between us."

"But then you proved each other wrong?"

"That we did, little sis," smiled Vincent.

"That's so sweet!" she grinned. Then she gave both her brother and Sunset a big hug.

"Does this mean I get a little sister too?" asked Sunset.

"What about Solar Crystal?" asked Fictionary. "Aren't you two close?"

"You can never have too many honoree siblings," Sunset reassured.

"Aw, thanks, Sunset." Before long, a familiar car pulled up.

"That'll be Flash," said Vincent.

"I'll see you tomorrow," said Sunset, and then she and Vincent kissed before she went on her way home. Flash had witnessed this from his car.

"Well, well, well," he grinned, pulling up.

"Hey there, Flash," said Vincent, hoping to avoid the inevitable.

"So... you and Sunset are officially an item as of today?" smirked Flash.

"That we are," said Vincent. "You jealous?"

"N-no," said Flash, feeling that Vincent was hinting at something. "I-I'm j-just happy for you, that's all..."

Vincent and Fictionary then jumped into the car and the three of them started to head home.

* * *

As the Sentry siblings were heading home, Sunset was giggling to herself in excitement. To her, this was the best day of her life. As well as her and Vincent officially getting together, Fictionary was super excited to get another sister in her life.

Celestia was by her car when her foster daughter walked up, her face glowing like... well, the sun.

"Well, looks like someone's in a good mood," smiled Celestia. "What happened at school today?"

"Vincent and I are now officially boyfriend and girlfriend," beamed Sunset.

"That's wonderful, Sunset!" grinned Celestia. "I knew he was right for you!" Both mother and daughter hugged each other.

"It's just amazing how far we've come," said Sunset. "From childhood friends to... this! It's almost like a happy ending."

"No, not just a happy ending," said Celestia. "It's also a happy _beginning_ to a new chapter." Sunset sighed dreamily and quickly hopped into the car.

* * *

The next day, Tuesday the 11th, Sandbar was walking towards Canterlot High School. As he walked inside, he couldn't help thinking about yesterday, as well as the talk he and Trixie had at the diner.

"Trixie is bound to find somebody," he said to himself. "But will _I_ be able to find myself somebody to love?"

"Hey, you okay?" asked Blossomforth. Sandbar turned around to face his new friend.

"I'm just... in thought, I guess," Sandbar shrugged.

"What about?" asked Blossomforth.

"I was thinking about my friend Trixie," said Sandbar. "She's looking for love, but I don't know how to help her."

Blossomforth paused for a moment, thinking back to her attempted romance with Vincent.

"Things didn't work out between you two?" she assumed.

"Well, Trixie is nice," said Sandbar. "Well, technically, nice _now_ , but... we're just friends."

"Oh, I see," said Blossomforth. "Did you have anything planned for the rest of the week?"

"Besides school work before the winter break, not really," said Sandbar. "Why do you ask?"

"Well," said Blossomforth, "I was kinda wondering if you wanted to hang out some time..."

"Yeah, I'd like to," said Sandbar. "Did you have anything in mind?"

"Not really," she replied. "Just... anything's good."

"Ah, okay then," said Sandbar. "We'll have to make some arrangements then."

"Sounds good to me." With that, the two parted.

 _He sure is cute,_ Blossomforth thought to herself.

 _She's really pretty,_ Sandbar thought to himself.

* * *

Later that day, when school was over, the Rainbooms and Vincent were inside Canterlot High's black box theater. They were waiting for Watermelody and her boyfriend Indigo Wreath to turn up.

"You'll never guess what, girls," said Sunset.

"What?" asked Applejack.

"Vincent and I have decided to become an official couple."

"You have?" squeaked Fluttershy excitedly. "Aww, I had a feeling it would happen sooner or later."

"We all did, Flutters," said Rainbow Dash. "Yes, even me."

"Well, it's just fantastic, you two," Applejack went on. "We're all proud of you."

Vincent and Sunset smiled at their friends, and then at each other. Just as they were about to kiss, a female French voice called out to the group.

" _Bonjour_ , everyone. I'm not too late, am I?" She walked briskly over. Watermelody was carrying six rolls of cloth, each in a different color - pale gray, light blue, light yellow, moderate tangerine, light crimson, and light pink.

Behind her was Indigo Wreath, a senior with dark magenta hair and gamboge eyes; he was holding a camera and tripod.

"No, actually," said Vincent. "You're just in time."

"Okay, that's good," she smiled. "It's great to see you all today."

"It certainly is indeed," said Rarity. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Sunset had each brought their respective instruments with them whilst Pinkie only brought in her drumsticks ("The kit was too big to carry to school," she explained). A piano with wheels was in the black box theater for Rarity to use for the planned photo shoot.

"Ye said ye had an idea aboot some sort of alboom cover?" asked Indigo Wreath.

"I had indeed," said Vincent. He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and unfolded it. His drawing was on a six by six inch piece of paper, split into one-inch-wide columns. Each column featured one of the Rainboom members with a color associated with them.

"It's a rough sketch with some color," Vincent explained, handing it to Indigo, "but it should give you an idea as to how I think the final cover should look. I showed it to the girls and all of them liked it."

"That looks wonderful, Vincent!" said Watermelody.

"Though hoo are we gon' get all the lasses tagether in the same shot?" asked Indigo.

"I thought of that," said Vincent. "The girls have their own individual shots, and then I pick the best of them and edit them together in Photoshop."

"Sounds like a plan!" said Pinkie Pie. "Oh, please, can I go first? Please please please with chocolate frosting and sprinkles on top?!"

"Well... okay," Watermelody nodded. "Up you come." The roll of light pink cloth was partially unraveled - at least seven and a half feet - and then hung up on a pair of clips on the wall behind Pinkie. The rest of the roll lay on the floor, but since the band members were being shot from the ankles up, this wouldn't be noticed.

Indigo then screwed his camera onto the tripod and positioned it so it gave a mostly full shot of Pinkie, showing her from the ankles up.

"Ooh, how do I look?" Pinkie rushed over after the camera snapped the photo.

"Ye rushed off as soon as ta light flashed," said Indigo. "I couldnae get a clear shot of ye."

"Oopsie..." Pinkie Pie sheepishly got back in position.

"Nae, try and keep still, alright?" asked Indigo. For Pinkie, that was easier said than done, but she nodded her head vigorously, it almost felt as if it would fly off. Despite a few bad shots like Pinkie sneezing at the last second in one and making a goofy face in another, they finally managed to get a good shot of her.

"I like that one!" smiled Pinkie. "Who wants to go next?" It was Applejack who offered to go next. Watermelody had taken down the pink cloth and replaced it with the tangerine cloth.

"Looking good, AJ," called Watermelody.

"Thanks, Mel," Applejack replied. She stood perfectly still whilst Indigo took a few shots, occasionally asking her to try a different pose. Rarity and Rainbow Dash then followed with their own respective shots. Fluttershy shivered in fear as her turn came.

"It'll be alright," said Indigo. "Just smile fer the camera and ye'll be fine."

Fluttershy did, but it looked rather forced. Just mere seconds before Indigo could take the shot, poor Fluttershy then broke down in tears.

"What's wrong, Fluttershy?" asked Sunset.

"The camera's judging me!" the light pink-haired girl whimpered.

"No, it's not, Fluttershy," Sunset comforted. "The camera used to take your picture is no different to the cameras at our studio."

"And it's no different from us taking photos of each other either," added Rainbow Dash.

"Y-you sure?" asked Fluttershy.

"Indeed," Rarity reassured. "Go up there and give a big smile for the camera."

So that was what Fluttershy did. Despite being initially startled by the flashing lights, Indigo managed to get a few good shots down.

"It's all you now, Sunny," Vincent told his girlfriend. Sunset gave a nod to him and walked to the backdrop, which had been changed again. This time, to light crimson.

"Ye ready fer this, Sunset?" asked Indigo.

"Ready as I'll ever be." Sunset then put her hands on her hips and stood still whilst Indigo took a few shots.

For the final pictures, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie each looked to their left whilst Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Sunset each looked to their right. In their respective pictures, Rarity and Rainbow Dash had their arms crossed, Applejack and Pinkie each had their right arm on their hip (and Pinkie had her left arm raised), Sunset had both hands on hips, and Fluttershy's hands were raised below her chin.

"They're all looking brilliant," said Vincent, before shaking Indigo's hand. "Well done right there."

"We do look amazing!" smiled Rarity.

"Eeyup, can't argue wit' that," agreed Applejack.

"How long will it be before the cover's complete?" asked Pinkie.

"Could take me at least a couple of hours to put together," said Vincent. "I'll need to scan the images into my computer though. I'd been thinking of designing the cover almost like those old-fashioned vinyl record slipcases."

"Well, good luck with zat," said Watermelody. "And your relationship with Sunset too."

"How did you guess?" asked Sunset.

"Well, it did look as zough you were about to commit to some French kissing," Watermelody replied with a teasing wink.

Vincent and Sunset looked at each other and blushed in slight embarrassment.

"It's okay," giggled Watermelody. "I won't judge you."

"Thank you," said Sunset.

"I'm getting a bit thirsty," said Vincent. "Wanna get some punch?"

"Sure," said Sunset. "Where did you have in mind?"

"How about at the diner?"

"Then I'll guess we can consider it a date." With that, the new couple kissed before departing.

* * *

Around that time, Blossomforth had just picked up her bags and was now heading towards the station.

"I hope I don't miss the train," she said to herself. Then there was trouble. Blossomforth wasn't watching where she was going. She tripped over a woman's umbrella.

"Whoa!" Blossomforth cried as she fell to the ground, her belly cushioning her fall.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the woman apologized.

"No, no, it's fine," Blossomforth insisted. "I should have been paying attention. Though I hope my belly didn't get bruised..." She lifted up her shirt and saw that there wasn't a scratch on her stomach.

"Need any help?" came a familiar voice. Blossomforth looked behind her to see Sandbar. She quickly covered her belly with her shirt.

"Y-yeah, I d-do," she said, blushing. "I-I-I accidentally d-dropped my books..." She bent down to pick them up. Sandbar bent down as well to help. Both reached for the same book and ended up touching hands instead.

"S-sorry," said Sandbar, blushing.

"N-no, it's fine," giggled Blossomforth as she put the book back in her bag. There was an awkward pause before Sandbar spoke up again.

"You... don't happen to have a date to the Valentine's Formal, do you?" he asked.

"Well, no, I don't," said Blossomforth. "I did want to go with Vincent, but I can't..."

"Because of the Sunset thing?"

"Yes," sighed Blossomforth. "It'll be a while before I move on from that..."

"Do you need some emotional support in the meantime?" asked Sandbar.

"I'd like that," smiled Blossomforth, giving a small nod. "I mean... Valentine's Day isn't just about romantic love. It could very well be about friendship too."

"So, are you willing to go to the Formal as friends?" asked Sandbar.

"It was... just an idea," Blossomforth admitted. "If you're okay with it..."

"Yeah, sure," said Sandbar. "I'd love to."

"Great!" Blossomforth smiled. "It'll be fun." She then went to give Sandbar a big hug. Sandbar looked surprised for a moment, but he hugged back.

* * *

Meanwhile, it wasn't just Vincent and Sunset who were at the diner.

"I wonder what looks good on the menu today," Trixie wondered.

"Excuse me; is this seat taken?" Trixie looked up to see that a girl of around sixteen or seventeen had spoken to her. She had short light pistachio hair with a short bang on either side, brilliant orange eyes, round, thick gray earrings, and reddish purple lipstick. The girl had an overall "punk" aesthetic to her attire.

"Um, no," said Trixie. "No one's sitting here but me. I wouldn't mind a bit of company, though." The other girl sat down beside her and picked up a menu for herself.

"Do you come here often?" she asked.

"Usually after school," replied Trixie.

"I come here on the odd occasion too," the other girl spoke.

"You do?" asked Trixie. "I don't think I've ever seen you here before."

"Eh, I often sit near the back," she shrugged.

"Oh, I see," said Trixie. "Forgive me; I didn't get your name. I'm Trixie, and you are...?"

"Cherry Crash."

"Nice name," Trixie replied. "So, anything in particular you want to eat here?"

"Well, I fancy myself a burger and fries," replied Cherry Crash.

"That's always tasty," said Trixie. "Hmm... as for me..." she scrolled through.

"Ehhh... I think I'll stick to a salad and dressing," she decided at last.

"Sounds good to me."

The two ordered their meals and began to engage in conversation.

"So, are you going to the Valentine's Formal?" asked Cherry Crash.

"I... hadn't really thought about that, to be honest," Trixie admitted. "I'm not sure if anyone would be willing to go with someone who calls herself Great and Powerful..."

"You'll never know unless you actually try," said Cherry Crash. "Wanna go with me as a friend?"

"That would be nice," said Trixie. Even though she wasn't going to the Formal with a date, Trixie was glad to have at least made _two_ new friends after her whole Starlight ordeal.


	12. SLS12 - Maybe I'm Amazed

Here's chapter twelve! I can't believe I forgot to publish it here as soon as it was done, but there you go.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 12 - Maybe I'm Amazed (McCartney, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, Rachel/TobyandMavisforever and Mike Nicholson**

 **FEBRUARY 14, 2014**

That Friday was going to be a big day for the Rainbooms; the six girls were going to perform their first ever show to an audience, and the gymnasium of Canterlot High School seemed like a good way to start off.

Not only that, but today was a shorter day at Canterlot High. Second and fourth period classes were back to back, followed by brunch period, and then sixth period classes before everyone went home early.

"Man, I wish all school days could be this short," said Rainbow Dash.

"Sounds ta me ya'd want that just so ya'll can lay about drinkin' apple cider and readin' dem _Daring Do_ books," smirked Applejack.

"That's not true!" protested Rainbow Dash.

"She's just teasing, Dashie," said Pinkie Pie.

"No need to get angry over a tease," said Sunset, trying to prevent a fight. "Anyway, aren't you excited about our first ever show to a live audience?"

"Oh, I don't know," said Fluttershy. "The idea of playing in front of the live audience almost kind of makes me want to throw up..."

"I'm sure you'll do fine, cous," said Song Cue.

"Y-you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," smiled Song Cue. Fluttershy felt rather better hearing this.

* * *

It was six-thirty in the evening at Canterlot High. One of the first couples to arrive was Micro Chips and Sandalwood. Both boys smiled at each other as they entered the school arm in arm.

"Can you believe it?" asked Micro Chips. "Today's been our first ever Valentine's Day together."

"Far out," said Sandalwood. They soon spotted another familiar couple.

"It's Comet Tail and Song Cue," said Micro Chips.

"Oh, hey there, guys," said Comet. "How's it going?"

"We've been pretty chill," said Sandalwood.

"That's good to hear," smiled Song Cue. The next couple to come in was Pinkie Pie and Thunderbass.

"You and Pinkie a thing?" asked Comet. "How'd that work out?"

"I wasn't sure about us being together at first," Thunderbass admitted, "but she was too fun loving to ignore. Plus have you _seen_ how adorable she is?"

"Well, Pinkie does have her moments when she acts really adorable," Song Cue admitted. Pinkie Pie just giggled.

"Aw, shucks," she said. "And my Thundy here has a great sense of humor." She then got on her toes and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek, close to his lips.

"That's Pinkie for you," chuckled Song Cue.

"You can never guess her next move," added Comet Tail. Thunderbass didn't reply, but he blushed red.

"I wonder who else is coming," said Comet to himself.

"Well, I heard from the grapevine that Sandbar's got himself a date," said Thunderbass. "Or at least, it's what _I_ heard..."

"Aww, Sandbar's seeing if he wants to be in a romance?" smiled Pinkie. "How sweet!"

"Not exactly," said Comet. "From what Vincent says, Sandbar and Blossomforth are going as friends."

"Well, all three of them have a point," said Song Cue. "Valentine's Day can be about a close friendship too." At that moment, Sunset came running up to the group, looking rather anxious.

"Sunset!" cried Pinkie. "What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"No, it's not that," said Sunset. "I'm calling the girls for an emergency meeting."

"Okay," said Pinkie.

"Could we go too?" asked Comet.

"I wish I could bring you," said Sunset. "But it's just the band members, you understand."

"Of course," said Song Cue.

"Sorry about interrupting your date, Thunderbass," said Sunset, "but I'll try not to take too long."

"I'm cool with it," shrugged Thunderbass.

* * *

The Rainbooms met up in one of the empty classrooms.

"So what's the problem?" asked Rarity.

"I don't want to cause any alarm," said Sunset, "but my mother said our show will be ninety minutes long rather than an hour like we first thought." The rest of the Rainbooms gasped.

"That means our song list is too short!" protested Rainbow Dash. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?!"

"I didn't know about it beforehand," insisted Sunset. "We'll just have to add a few more songs to fill in that time, or space them farther apart."

"But our show starts at seven," said Applejack. "Ah don't think we got time to rehearse."

"What are we going to do?" asked Fluttershy.

"Here's a thought," Sunset suggested. "Between each song, we do a sort of Question and Answers thing."

"A Q&A?" asked Rarity.

"That sounds like a fun idea!" cheered Pinkie Pie.

"But it might go beyond our scheduled runtime," said Rainbow Dash. "What about between sets? We've got two electric sets, an acoustic set, and our encore." She then pulled out a folded piece of paper from her pocket and unfolded it to reveal their setlist. The first electric set consisted of eight songs, the acoustic set five, the second electric set six, and the encore two.

"That could work," said Sunset.

"Shall we go back out?" asked Pinkie.

"Eeyup." With that, the Rainbooms made their way back to the party.

* * *

Back at the party, Sombra had also arrived.

"Heavens," he said. "This school has changed so much since I last saw it." As he was admiring the scenery, a familiar face came across him.

"Sombra!" cried Celestia happily. She raced over and embraced her husband. "It's not every day you come to my workplace, dear."

"I felt that today would be a fitting surprise," smiled Sombra, bringing out a rose for his wife.

"Oh, you," Celestia giggled, taking the rose. She then brought her husband closer for a kiss.

"Is that you, Sombra?" came a voice. The two adults looked over and saw Novo.

"Hello again, Novo." The two friends greeted each other in a hug.

"Who's that, mom?" came a voice. Novo looked back and saw Skystar coming up. She was wearing a dress that was ocean-themed.

"Sombra," said Novo, "this is my daughter, Skystar."

"Pleasure to meet you," greeted Sombra politely.

"How do you know my mom?" asked Skystar.

"She was a classmate of mine when I was in school," explained Sombra. "She was also one of Celestia's friends. And Celestia also happens to be my wife."

When Skystar heard this, her eyes lit up.

"Oh my gosh!" she squealed in excitement. "Our principal got married!"

"We got married almost twenty years ago," explained Celestia.

"How come she didn't mention you to us sooner?" asked Skystar.

"It's... rather complicated to explain," sighed Sombra.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Rainbooms were setting up their equipment onstage. The curtain that was facing the audience was closed, which was a good thing as they didn't want to be seen fiddling around with their equipment. Fluttershy was clutching onto her tambourine with an empty bucket nearby.

"What's with the bucket?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"In case I get sick," was Fluttershy's response.

"Do you _really_ need that bucket?"

"You'll be fine, darling," said Rarity. Just then, Celestia poked her head in.

"You're on in a minute," she said.

"Copy that, boss," said Rainbow Dash.

"She's our principal, and my mother," said Sunset. "You don't have to call her 'boss'."

"I know, but I thought it would be cooler that way."

* * *

Meanwhile, Celestia stepped up to the front of the stage.

"Thank you everyone for coming to the Canterlot High Valentine's Formal," she greeted to the crowd. "Now, I've a big announcement to make. For your entertainment tonight, we have something special scheduled to rock your world."

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, wondering where the principal was coming from.

"This evening," continued Celestia, "I'd like to present our school's local rock band... the Rainbooms!"

As Celestia exited to stage right, there was the sound of the drum beating, and then the curtains opened to reveal six silhouettes.

" _We used to fight with each other  
But then we learned to recover  
You know our friendship is real  
When you just say what ya feel_

 _And the music, yeah, the music gets us to the top_  
 _As we learn how the rainbow, Rainbow Rocks!_ "

The stage lights then turned on, revealing the Rainbooms in their full glory. The crowd cheered loudly when they saw them for the first time. This was going to be a night they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

" _You can pick up the bass,_ " Applejack sang.

" _And you can play the guitar,_ " added Rainbow Dash.

" _You can bang on the drums,_ " sang Pinkie Pie.

" _Or you can sing like a star,_ " Sunset sang, before singing with the others:

" _And the music, yeah, the music gets us to the top  
As we learn how the rainbow, Rainbow Rocks!  
As we learn how the rainbow, Rainbow Rocks!_"

The crowd was cheering as the song drew to a close, and then the Rainbooms followed up on the ensemble songs "Shake Your Tail" and "Dance Magic" before addressing the crowd.

"Good evening, Canterlot High!" Rainbow Dash spoke into the microphone. "We're all glad to see you out here tonight."

"Yeah!" added Pinkie. "Performing together is such an amazing experience, especially if it makes everyone happy while we do it!" There was a video camera filming the band; Sunset had earlier asked Indigo Wreath to set it up so they could document their first ever performance.

"This has certainly been exciting," Sunset commented. "Writing each of the songs was a lot of work, but it's worth it in the end."

"And it ain't just our own originals we're playin' fer y'all tonight," said Applejack. "We're playin' some of our favorite tunes from some of our influences. Ah reckon a few of y'all will recognize this next number. One, two, three, four!"

Then the band began to play the opening notes to "I Won't Back Down". Some of the students cheered when they recognized the opening notes, and even more cheered when Rainbow Dash sang the lyrics. Applejack and Sunset provided the harmony vocals during the chorus. Following that was "Perfect Day for Fun", sung by all six, and when it was finished, Sunset put down her guitar and sat down at the piano. Rarity gave a nod to her in approval and the others quickly got ready.

"This next number of ours," said Sunset, "it's dedicated to a very special friend of mine. This person never gave up on me during my darkest days and now, I'm happy to say that I'm dating that person." Some of the faces in the crowd glanced knowingly at each other at Sunset's comment. She then began to play the first notes to "My Past is Not Today" and sung into the microphone.

" _Freedom was all I desired  
But all that grew within my heart was a darkness I acquired  
When I began to fall and I lost the path ahead  
That's when your friendship found me and it lifted me instead_

 _Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky_  
 _I'll show there's another side to me you can't deny_  
 _I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say_  
 _That my past does not define me, 'cause my past is not today..._ "

At that point, Pinkie and Applejack joined in on the song on drums and bass, respectively.

" _Resistance is what I believed  
Would be the only way to set me free  
But then my barriers fell, and I found myself all lost  
That's when you came to help me, and protect me at any cost..._"

Then the song began to pick up energy as Rainbow Dash joined in on guitar.

" _Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky  
I'll show there's another side to me you can't deny  
I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say  
That my past does not define me, 'cause my past is not today..._"

And then Rainbow Dash performed the emotional guitar solo set to the tune of the first two verses, before there was a repeat of the chorus to draw the song to a close:

" _Like a phoenix burning bright in the sky  
I'll show there's another side to me you can't deny  
I may not know what the future holds, but hear me when I say  
That my past does not define me, 'cause my past is not...  
My past is not today!_"

The crowd cheered wildly as the song drew to a close. Sunset then returned the piano to Rarity, and as soon as the crowd's cheering died down, she began to perform "Art of the Dress", promptly followed by Pinkie's "Smile Song".

"While we're setting up our next set," said Rarity, "we'd be happy to answer some questions you have for us."

It was a girl called Amethyst Star who asked the first question. "How did you guys first meet?"

"Fluttershy, Sunset and I all met back in elementary school," said Rainbow Dash.

"Wow, elementary school?!" grinned Amethyst. "That's so cool!"

"Yeah, Rainbow Dash and I," said Sunset, "we've more or less known one another the longest. We met with Applejack and Rarity when we first entered high school, and then we introduced them to Fluttershy when she first joined. I was also the first of us to meet Pinkie at her workplace in Sugarcube Corner, and that was months before she started attending Canterlot High."

"Wow, I didn't know it took that long to meet everyone," called a student from further back.

"Yeah, it's hard to imagine," agreed Sunset. "Last year was the only school year that all of us were attending at the same time."

Twinkleshine raised her hand for another question. "What gave you the idea to form a band?"

"Well," said Applejack, "we all had an interest in music and wanted to share it with the school."

"Coming up with a name was difficult," added Rainbow Dash. "One idea was the Girls of Canterlot, but it seemed too long. Then we tried Rainbow Power, but that was too girly. Canterlot Pony was also a no go, but then one night, I had that dream where some random woman - I forget what she was called - said that our band was destined to be the Sonic Rainbooms."

"Why isn't 'Sonic' part of the name?" asked an audience member.

"Nothing to do with blue hedgehogs running at super speeds," said Rainbow Dash, "but simply calling ourselves the Rainbooms seemed catchier."

After a few more questions, it was time for the acoustic set. It began with Sunset and Rarity's duet on "Space Oddity", followed up by the latter's duet with Fluttershy on the "Music in the Treetops/Find the Music in You" medley. Applejack's "Raise This Barn" came next, followed by Fluttershy's cover of "Mr. Tambourine Man" before the set ended with Sunset singing "A Friend for Life". Their next set of questions whilst setting up for their second electric set was about which songs they picked and why.

Lemon Hearts spoke up for the first question. "What made you choose to cover 'Mr. Tambourine Man' and 'I Won't Back Down'?"

"Ah guess it was the folk musician in me," Applejack admitted. "Ah'm a big fan of the Heartbreakers, but 'Won't Back Down' didn't exactly fit mah vocal style, so I asked Dash here to perform it instead."

"And... and we're all fans of Bob Dylan in one way or another," said Fluttershy. "He was a music pioneer, after all."

"You're not the only ones," called Moon Dancer with a smile. "They were amazing covers, girls."

"I especially loved how you did 'Space Oddity'," added Twilight. "One of my favorites."

Another audience member asked, "What song was the hardest one for you guys to write?"

"It was probably the medley Rarity and I composed," said Fluttershy. "I didn't have much material on me."

"You did great though, cous," smiled Song Cue. "Singing does run in the family."

"I'll say," said Comet. Fluttershy smiled at this.

"Honestly, both of the songs Ah wrote were tricky ta write," said Applejack. "It ain't like bakin' an apple pie or somethin' lak that."

"But you've only performed one of your compositions," an audience member pointed out.

"Yer right there," said Applejack, "but mah other one's in the next set."

Some of the other audience members nodded in understanding. One of the younger members, who looked to be in the same age group as Sandbar, raised her hand excitedly. "Which one was the most fun to write? I'm sure you had fun writing them all, but there has to be one that was most fun to write behind the scenes, yes?"

"There are a few that stand out indeed, Silverstream," said Sunset. "I really like 'Shake Your Tail'. It was all written by Dash, but we turned it into a group song."

"Yeah, and 'Perfect Day for Fun' was... well, fun," added Pinkie.

"I really enjoyed the group songs a lot," smiled Ocellus.

"Yeah, me too," said Rainbow Dash.

A few more questions later, the Rainbooms were onto their second electric set, beginning with an ensemble effort on "Time to Come Together", followed by Applejack's cover vocal on "Jailhouse Rock" and Rarity's "Generosity". Pinkie's cover of "Yellow Submarine" was next before being followed by the whole band singing "Shine Like Rainbows" and "A True, True Friend", the latter of which was an audience participation song. The crowd was cheering loudly as the song drew to a close.

"Well done, everyone," said Fluttershy. "Lovely voices."

"Now, before we get to our last few songs," said Sunset, "we're gonna answer a few more questions."

"What artists inspired you the most?" asked Smolder.

"We already mentioned Bob Dylan," said Applejack, "and Ah said earlier that Ah laked the Heartbreakers. Tom Petty's a real songwritin' genius. Plus he looks good wearin' a hat."

"I really love listening to David Bowie and Queen," said Rarity. "It's their musical style and variety that I find appealing."

"I'm more into the hard rock territory," said Rainbow Dash. "Y'know, like The Who, AC/DC, Elvis Costello, you name it."

"Drummers are really underrated," said Pinkie. "They don't get enough focus like Keith, Ringo, Ginger, John, Dave, et cetera."

"Unless you're Phil Collins," called Math Equation, and everyone laughed.

"And by John, she means the dude who played for Led Zeppelin," said Rainbow Dash.

"That's lot of inspiration," Yona called. "Yona think you outdid yourselves."

"That they have," said Gallus.

"Did any friends inspire you?" asked another crowd member.

"My family did," said Fluttershy. "Like my cousin Song Cue said, music runs in our family."

"Vincent definitely inspired me," said Sunset. "I even wrote 'My Past is Not Today' inspired by the hell I was put through."

"'Generosity' was inspired by a summer trip my family took to New York a few years ago," said Rarity. "Once you go there, it never leaves your memory."

A few more questions followed before there came the final question of the day; "Will you guys make more music in the future?"

"We'll see," said Rainbow Dash. "We haven't much planned for a second album, but then again, you never know."

"That's understandable," said Sandbar.

"Well, we'd like to say thank you all for your questions for the evening," said Sunset as she once again sat by the piano, "and especially for coming here to see us. But don't forget this when you head home tonight..."

She then started to play the piano, leading the band into playing "Friendship Through the Ages".

"Wow..." gushed Orange Sherbet. "This song's probably the best of the bunch."

"Seems fitting that they end strong," agreed Blossomforth.

As the song played, Trixie felt someone taking hold of her hand. She looked over and saw that it was none other than Cherry Crash. Both girls were now blushing. Before Trixie knew it, Cherry Crash had kissed her right on the lips. Trixie's face blushed so red, one would think she had eaten a ghost pepper.

"S-s-so," she finally managed to say, "you have any plans for winter break?"

In another part of the gym, Celestia and Sombra were talking about other changes to the school over a glass of punch.

"So, has there been any other major things going on?" asked Sombra.

"A lot," said Celestia. "For a time, I was an English teacher whilst Abacus Cinch was principal. You remember her, right?"

"Oh yeah," said Sombra. "Always a stick in the mud, she was."

"But she got worse," said Celestia. "She practically used medieval punishment on students when they misbehaved or did even something she thought was wrong. Many of us feared her, but I reported her to the superintendent and Abacus was given the pink slip."

"Pink slip?" asked Skystar. "How would a brightly colored piece of paper help?"

"She meant that our former principal was fired," said Novo. "After the fearsome reputation CHS got, Celestia did everything she could to make it a friendlier environment."

"Oh, that's a relief!" Skystar smiled. "I'm so glad my cousins Silverstream and Terramar don't have to go to school with that huffy know it all in charge."

"Though, what did come of Abacus since she was fired?" asked Sombra.

"Last I heard, she went into politics instead," said Celestia. "Not sure what she's planning at this point."

"Politics?" Novo sounded nervous. "Let's hope that doesn't lead to anything rash."

"Let's hope not," said Celestia.

The Rainbooms were now finishing up "Friendship Through the Ages", and the audience was applauding the performance. There was even more as they began their performance of "Bohemian Rhapsody". All six girls performed the a cappella introduction, followed by Rarity and Sunset each singing a verse in the ballad section. All six then performed the operatic section, occasionally alternating vocal solos. Rainbow Dash then sang the rock section before Rarity sang the closing verse, followed by Pinkie banging the cymbal to bring the song to a close. All six then walked up the stage and bowed before the crowd, now cheering the loudest they have all night.

The Rainbooms then exited stage right and Rainbow Dash looked at the time on her phone - 8:24 in the evening.

"8:24?!" Rainbow Dash nearly dropped her phone in shock.

"What's wrong, Rainbow?" asked Pinkie.

"We're supposed to end at 8:30, but we're about five minutes ahead of schedule!"

"Well, what're we gonna do now?" asked Applejack. None of them noticed Sunset returning to the stage.

"Okay, uh... we need one more song real quick," said Fluttershy. "Do you girls have any ideas? I don't have any..."

"I've got... nothing," said Rarity.

"I don't have any either," said Pinkie.

"Nope, nuthin'," said Applejack.

Rainbow Dash groaned. "What're we gonna do now?!" Before a full-blown freak out could commence, the five girls then heard the sound of the piano playing, followed by the audience cheering, and then came Sunset's voice:

" _Maybe I'm amazed at the way you love me all the time  
Maybe I'm afraid of the way I love you..._"

The five girls just stared in awe. Pinkie quickly went over to play the drums, and the other Rainbooms followed to play their respective isntruments, with Rarity taking over for Sunset on rhythm guitar.

" _Maybe I'm amazed at the the way you pulled me out of time,_ " sang Sunset.  
" _And hung me on a line_  
 _Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you_

 _Maybe I'm a girl and maybe I'm a lonely girl_  
 _Who's in the middle of something_  
 _That she doesn't really understand_

 _Maybe I'm a girl and maybe you're the only man_  
 _Who could ever help me_  
 _Baby, won't you help me understand?_ "

Rainbow Dash then followed up with a soaring, emotional guitar solo. The crowd was now on their feet in excitement, even if this was a spur of the moment performance.

" _Maybe I'm a girl and maybe I'm a lonely girl  
Who's in the middle of something  
That she doesn't really understand_

 _Baby, I'm a girl and maybe you're the only man_  
 _Who could ever help me_  
 _Baby, won't you help me understand?_

 _Baby, I'm amazed at the way you're with me all the time_  
 _Maybe I'm afraid of the way I leave you_  
 _Baby, I'm amazed at the way you help me sing my song_  
 _Right me when I'm wrong_  
 _Maybe I'm amazed at the way I really need you..._ "

Then Sunset played a piano solo whilst she vocalized. After that, she slowed to a stop. There was some applause when suddenly, Sunset started up again, aided by Rainbow Dash whilst she played her second guitar solo.

" _Maybe I'm a girl and maybe I'm a lonely girl  
Who's in the middle of something  
That she doesn't really understand_

 _Baby, I'm a girl and maybe you're the only man_  
 _Who could ever help me_  
 _Baby, won't you help me understand?_

 _Oh, maybe I'm amazed, maybe I'm amazed_  
 _Yeah, maybe I'm amazed, yeah, yeah, yeah_  
 _Yeah, maybe I'm amazed, I'm amazed with you..._ "

"That was... beautiful..." Ocellus whispered.

"Now that's a show closer if I ever heard of one!" remarked Orange Sherbet. The audience was cheering loudly as the band bowed once more before them.

"That's a rap, folks!" grinned Rainbow Dash. "I hope you all have a good rest of the night."

"Thanks fer savin' our hides there, Sunset," said Applejack.

"I wonder if quick thinking runs in my family," Sunset grinned.

"That was such an amazing show!" Vincent cried in excitement. He ran up to Sunset and gave his girlfriend a big hug.

"Aw, thanks, Vinnie." Sunset hugged him back, just as Song Cue and Orange Sherbet rushed over to Fluttershy.

"Wonderful singing, cous!" Both twins hugged their shy cousin tight. Fluttershy blushed modestly.

Thunderbass ran over and almost glomped Pinkie Pie. "That was awesome singing!" In fact, for the rest of the Formal, the Rainbooms were given more praise than they knew what to do with.

"You girls up for hanging out tomorrow?" asked Rainbow Dash. "If you got the time, of course."

"Of course, darling," said Rarity.

"How about at Sugarcube Corner?" suggested Pinkie Pie.

"I'm up for it if we can each bring a plus one with us," said Sunset.

"That's a great idea!" grinned Pinkie.

"I think I've got someone in mind," said Rarity.

"It could be fun," said Fluttershy. "Though... I don't know who to bring as a plus one."

"Just as long as it isn't your brother," sighed Rainbow Dash.

"Don't remind us," said Applejack. The remaining friends just laughed at the comment.


	13. SLS13 - Love

Here's chapter thirteen! And just so you know, the CD Vincent gave Sunset is on YouTube in the form of a playlist. Look up "Beatles Hot as Sun" under "playlist" and you should be able to find it. Thirteen videos in total.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 13 - Love (Lennon, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, Rachel/TobyandMavisforever and Mike Nicholson**

 **FEBRUARY 15, 2014**

The following morning, the Rainbooms and their guests all went to Sugarcube Corner. Sunset went with Vincent, Rainbow Dash with Soarin, Applejack with Caramel, Rarity with Math Equation, Pinkie with Thunderbass, and Fluttershy with Twilight.

"Why'd you bring Twilight, Fluttershy?" asked Sunset.

"I'm too bashful to get a boyfriend," explained Fluttershy shamefully.

"So I came with her so she wouldn't feel bad," added Twilight.

"Don't feel bad, Flutters," comforted Rainbow Dash. "At least we're not with that jackass again."

"Let me guess," sighed Twilight. "Zephyr was very 'in your face'?"

"Unfortunately..." Rainbow Dash sighed with annoyance. "He made a comment about my ass, and I made him apologize by screaming in his face."

There was an awkward silence among the gathered friends, so Soarin diverted the subject.

"So, did anyone have any favorite songs that played last night?"

"Well, I like how we all did 'Bohemian Rhapsody' towards the end," said Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, that was a good one," agreed Caramel. "I quite enjoyed 'Raise This Barn' myself."

"I've already mentioned that I liked 'Space Oddity'," said Twilight, "but I also had a fondness for 'My Past is Not Today' and 'A True, True Friend'."

"Oh yeah!" smiled Pinkie Pie. "Sunset really poured her heart into the former especially." Sunset smiled and blushed upon hearing that.

"W-well, uh... I guess good songs come from good inspiration," she stuttered. Vincent put an arm around his girlfriend and kissed her.

"So cute..." gushed Fluttershy. "You two really do make the perfect couple."

"Yeah, I can't think of anybody else they'd be with," agreed Twilight.

"It's so good when you find that someone who gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling!" Pinkie Pie put in.

"Well, so far, only four of us have found a significant other," said Applejack.

"Isn't Twilight with Flash?" asked Thunderbass. Math Equation seemed slightly uncomfortable hearing that.

"Well... they aren't exactly in a relationship, last I checked," said Vincent. "Right now, they're just friends."

"Oh..." Thunderbass looked quite embarrassed. "Uh, forget I asked."

"It's fine," said Twilight. The others nodded quickly in agreement. Thunderbass didn't mean to upset them; he was quite new after all.

"Hello, everyone," called a voice. The voice was noticeably soft spoken, but she had a cheery tone to it as well. "Oh my, did the Rainbooms decide to bring over their plus ones?"

"Oh, hi there, Sugar Belle," said Applejack.

"How are you?" asked Fluttershy.

"Oh, very good," she replied. "Anything I can get you guys today?"

"Got any apple cider?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Ah might have to go back to Sweet Apple Acres to get some," said Applejack.

"Uh, maybe just a slice of cake for me," Rainbow said at last.

"That, I can get," smiled Sugar Belle. "Who's next?"

"Oh, I'd like some pie, please," said Soarin eagerly. Rainbow Dash winced; ever since throwing up after a pie eating contest, she'd had an aversion to pies since.

"Well, we all have different interests in food," said Applejack. "Ain't nothin' wrong with that. Ah may get an apple tart myself."

"I'd like one too," said Caramel.

"Could you get a cupcake for me, please?" asked Pinkie. "Maybe with sprinkles? And one for my boyfriend as well."

"Aww, how sweet is that?" smiled Sugar Belle. "Of course, Pinkie."

"Hmm, maybe a doughnut for me, please?" Fluttershy spoke. "Uh, the butterfly shaped one?"

"I think I'll go for a cinnamon roll with frosting," said Vincent.

"Oh, that sounds yummy," said Sunset. "I'll take one myself."

"I'll go for a lemon poppy seed muffin," said Twilight.

"A white chocolate raspberry cheesecake sounds lovely," said Rarity. "What about you, Math darling?"

"I think I'll have a cheesecake too," said Math. "Except I would like mine with chocolate chips and a chocolate drizzle."

Soon enough, all twelve had their respective treats. Since she worked at Sugarcube Corner part time, Pinkie helped Sugar Belle in getting them ready.

"You're such an amazing baker, Sugar Belle!" smiled Pinkie. "No wonder you were chosen to work here."

"Well, I do have you and Applejack to thank," said Sugar Belle.

"And did a certain older brother of Applejack help too?" chuckled Pinkie Pie. Sugar Belle blushed and giggled.

"I thought so. Crushes in the air are amazing!" Pinkie Pie gave a squee of excitement. She then sat down next to Thunderbass, holding onto their respective cupcakes.

"So," said Soarin after he took his first bite of his pie, "those sets you made for the songs were very interesting."

"Was there anything you liked in particular?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"I quite like the first electric set," Soarin replied. "Especially the way you moved whilst playing guitar." Rainbow Dash blushed and let out a light giggle. Vincent just snickered at this.

"Shut up, van Colt," Rainbow Dash muttered.

"I really like the acoustic set," said Twilight. "Simple, but it does the job."

"Sometimes, simple things work best," agreed Applejack. "Ya'll don't always need some fancy, over-the-top production to make a song sound good."

"I like the second electric set," said Thunderbass. "Especially when Pinkie did the 'Yellow Submarine' cover."

"Yeah, I liked that one too," said Vincent. "But I especially enjoy hearing Sunset's voice." Sunset glanced off to the side and blushed deep red.

"Boyfriends," said Twilight with a roll of her eyes. "They seem to pick their girlfriends' songs the most."

"I wouldn't blame them, Twilight," said Fluttershy. "Love is... well, special for those who are lucky to find it."

"Yeah," said Twilight.

"But if you don't find someone, that's okay too," Fluttershy went on.

"Ooh," said Pinkie all of a sudden. "I almost forgot something!" She reached into her bag and pulled out a gift of some kind.

"What's this?" asked Thunderbass.

"For you!" Pinkie quickly handed the gift over to her boyfriend. "I hope you really, really love it." It was a small pink box wrapped up in blue ribbons. Thunderbass unwrapped the ribbons and opened the box. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was a small cake covered with blue frosting, and on top in pink frosting was a heart with the initials "TB + PP" in yellow.

"Aww, I love it!" cried Thunderbass. "It looks too good to eat." He then took a gift box out from behind his back.

"And here's my gift for you," he said. Pinkie excitedly began to open her gift.

"Aww, Thunderbass, you shouldn't have, but you did!" Pinkie Pie grinned so wide her cheeks hurt. "He's so cute! Perfect name... perfect name... uh, I know, Gummy! He has no teeth."

Next, it was Soarin and Rainbow Dash's turn. The former had been able to buy his girlfriend the latest _Daring Do_ book by A. K. Yearling.

"Aw, yeah! Thanks, Soarin!" Rainbow Dash cried excitedly. "When I'm at home later, I'll totally read this."

"That's great, Dash," said Soarin, "but you remembered to get me something, right?"

"Of course I did," Rainbow grinned, handing over the gift to him. "What kind of girlfriend would I be if I didn't get you the perfect gift?"

Soarin unwrapped his gift. "Whoa, _Injustice: Gods Among Us_!" he grinned. "I've wanted this for ages. Thanks, Dash!"

Now it was Rarity's turn to give Math Equation his gift. It was...

"A pair of drumsticks," he exclaimed. "Though I don't have a drum kit to go along with it..."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll get one for your birthday," said Rarity. "Though you did remember to get me something, right?" She batted her eyelids flirtatiously at him.

"Oh! Um..." Math began to search his pockets. "I think I have it in here somewhere..."

"Isn't it in your bag?" asked Vincent. Suddenly, Math remembered.

"Thanks for reminding me, Vincent," he said as his hand searched his bag for his present. He pulled out a small, dark purple box. "For you, Rarity," he said as he gave Rarity the box. She opened it to reveal a golden necklace with a big blue lozenge diamond on the front, and five smaller diamonds on either side.

"Oh, Math Equation!" gasped Rarity. "It's gorgeous. I love it, thank you!" She then pulled him in for a tight hug whilst he blushed.

"Seems like you two know each other very well," chuckled Caramel.

"Eeyup," agreed Applejack. "Well, Caramel," she said, turning to her boyfriend, "Ah hope ya'll didn't get me anythin' girly. Ah still haven't forgotten about that frilly dress Rarity made fer me a couple of Christmases ago..."

"Oh, that gown was simply lovely!" protested Rarity.

"Lovely?!" snorted Applejack. "It made mah butt look as big as a hot air balloon." Rainbow Dash snickered at what Applejack had just said.

"Don't worry, AJ," said Caramel before a fight could break out. "It's nothing like that." From under the booth, Caramel pulled out a large, rectangular present for his girlfriend.

"I hope you like it," he said. Applejack opened her gift and found that it was a fancy record player.

"Wow, Caramel, that's an amazin' gift," Applejack smiled. "Ah'll try it out first thing when Ah get back. Now here's mah gift for you..."

Caramel took the small box Applejack brought and carefully unwrapped it.

"Oh, Applejack," he smiled. "What a wonderful looking mug. And it's shaped like a football. Where'd you find this?"

"Bought it at a small ceramic shop in Canterlot," said Applejack. "They've got all kinds o' mugs there."

"I love it. Thanks, AJ!"

"I never knew they made mugs that shape," said Vincent.

"You never know what surprises you may find," said Sunset. "Speaking of which..." She pulled a piece of paper out of her bag. "I hope you like this, Vincent. I worked really hard." On the paper was a drawing of Thomas the tank engine and Emily the emerald engine puffing together in the sunset.

"W-well... do you like it?"

"I love it," Vincent smiled. "It looks very lovely."

Sunset beamed and hugged Vincent. "I'm so glad you do. After seeing all your art, I was inspired to do drawing too."

"I guess we kinda rub off on one another at times," chuckled Vincent.

"I guess couples do that too," said Twilight.

"Now I should give you my present for you, Sunset," said Vincent. In his hand was a CD case, and on the cover was a group of familiar Liverpudlian band in front of a large mansion. Below them was the words "Hot as Sun" on the front doorstep.

"Look at the back cover," said Vincent. Sunset did, and on it was a rife of green apples. On one of them was a list of song titles: "It Don't Come Easy", "Every Night", "Oh My Love", "Teddy Boy", "Jealous Guy", and "Isn't It a Pity". Another apple had six different titles: "Gimme Some Truth", "Let It Down", "Junk", "Look at Me", "All Things Must Pass", and "The Back Seat of My Car".

"Wow!" gasped Sunset. "There's so many songs on here. I'll definitely play this when I get home. Thanks, Vincent!"

"I recognize those songs," said Math Equation.

"I think I do too," said Twilight.

"Oh, can't we _all_ listen to what you've made, Vincent?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Sure," said Vincent. "Pinkie, is there a place in here we can listen to CDs in?"

"I'll have to ask the Cakes if it's okay," said Pinkie.

"What would you like to request, Pinkie?" asked Mrs. Cake, who had just walked over. The pink-haired girl explained the situation.

"Why, of course, I don't see why not. We've got a portable radio in the back that plays compact discs."

"That's great!" said Pinkie Pie. "I think it'll do nicely."

A few minutes later, Mr. Cake returned holding a round radio CD player by the handle. He gave it to the group with a reminder to try not to disturb the other customers with the music. The group nodded in thanks and it wasn't long before the CD was in and the music started to play.

Then there was the opening sound of cymbals before delving into the famous guitar intro of "It Don't Come Easy". Math's eyes widened upon the realization that a Beatles album opened with a song by their drummer, and when Ringo began singing, Math couldn't resist singing along as well. The others listened intently to the music and found themselves getting into the song too.

The next song was the acoustic-based "Every Night"; a little more laid back compared to the previous song, with Paul vocalizing his "oohs" during the chorus. Then there was the piano ballad "Oh My Love".

"Ugh, a ballad?" sighed Rainbow Dash. "Not my style at all..."

"Sorry about that, Dash," said Vincent. "Still, it does show that John can show his gentle side."

"Indeed," smiled Fluttershy. "Oh, it's lovely."

Next came the jokey acoustic "Teddy Boy". Applejack hummed along to it whilst Rainbow Dash scowled at Vincent, as if thinking, "what on earth possessed him to include this silly song?"

Pinkie Pie couldn't help but giggle at the song herself. "Oh, it's so silly at places."

"Too silly if you ask me," muttered Rainbow Dash.

"It's actually not dissimilar to Paul's songs like 'Maxwell' and 'Ob-La-Di' if you ask me," said Math. "I doubt John would've even agreed to playing on it."

Speaking of whom, the next track was the "Day in the Life"-esque "Jealous Guy". Rainbow Dash groaned that it was yet another piano-based ballad.

"Aw, lighten up, Dash," said Soarin. "I think it's a good CD so far."

"Oh, that piano sounds stunning in this one," gushed Rarity.

"It really is," agreed Sunset. She had loosely based "My Past is Not Today" on the song's structure.

"Bit of a warning, Dash," said Vincent, as the song came to a close. "If you're not a fan of 'Jealous Guy', you may like the next song even less."

The next track was George's "Isn't It a Pity", a seven minute epic which, according to Vincent, would end the album's first side if it was on a vinyl record.

"Oh no..." groaned Rainbow Dash. She waited anxiously for the song to finish; even though it was seven minutes long, it felt more like seven _hours_ to Rainbow Dash.

"This is kinda bumming me out," said Thunderbass. "And this is like, what halfway through the CD?"

"Wait for it," said Vincent. "It'll be over sooner than you think."

Eventually, the song faded away to a close, followed by a couple seconds' worth of silence. Then, there came the first verse of John's "Gimme Some Truth", an angry protest song featuring a guitar solo by George.

"Now this is more like it!" said Rainbow Dash. "Almost seems worth sitting through the ballad-y stuff to get to this."

As the song faded away, there came the crashing wall of sound of horns in "Let It Down". After that explosive intro, the song became gentler in the verses before getting louder again for the chorus.

"Oh, I don't think I like this sudden shift in tone," whispered Fluttershy.

"Not every song has to be the same," said Applejack. "But it is a little jarring."

Fortunately, for the two, the album got gentler again with the back-to-back acoustic ballads "Junk" and "Look at Me", linked by John saying "Okay - yes, thank you."

"Definitely needed a breather after all that frenzied loudness," said Rarity.

"Definitely more relaxed," said Twilight.

The next track on the album was George's "All Things Must Pass".

"With a title like that," said Caramel, "it almost sounds like the grand finale of the album."

"Let's see that again." Pinkie picked up the case to check. "Nope; second to last song."

"That's a surprise," said Fluttershy.

"I think it's still a great song," said Twilight. "Even if it isn't the final song on the CD."

Now came the CD's grand finale track, "The Back Seat of My Car", Paul's traveling-based song that was an homage to the Beach Boys. Sunset felt a deep passion within herself when listening to the track.

"I guess this is your favorite one," said Soarin.

"I dunno why, I just have a thing for these kinds of songs," said Sunset.

"Well, everyone has a taste in one type of song or another," said Twilight.

"So is that song the end of the CD?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Not quite," said Vincent.

"What do you mean, 'not quite'?" Vincent didn't reply. The song then drew to a close, followed by silence. After ten seconds, a short acoustic instrumental running at about ninety seconds started to play. Everyone (barring Vincent) was left in surprise.

"Wow!" gasped Fluttershy. "Did it say that on the back of the case, Pinkie?"

"No, it didn't," she replied. "How did we not see _that_ coming?!"

"Surprise," Vincent chuckled. "I made it a hidden track at the end."

"Very sneaky, Vincent," said Rainbow Dash. The surprise hidden track soon faded away, bringing the CD to a proper close.

"So," said Vincent, "what d'you all think?"

"I love it very much," said Sunset. "It almost feels like a real Beatles album."

"Sounded kinda downbeat at times," said Rainbow Dash. "What made you choose some of the songs?"

"I'm actually glad you asked that," said Vincent. "Most of the songs I picked were written around 1968 and '69, and so I thought: 'What if they were on their own album?' I mean, back in 1970, the Beatles had more than enough good material for one last album."

"Though the breakup was inevitable," Rarity pointed out.

"Unfortunately, yes," said Vincent. "Still, we could... ahem, imagine one more album from them."

"Quite clever to do," complimented Applejack.

"Thanks," said Vincent.

"Are there any other albums you made like that?" asked Soarin.

"Yes," said Vincent. "I've made five more albums and brought the Beatles up to 1975. I call them - in chronological order - _Imagine Clouds Dripping_ , _Mind Games_ , _Band on the Run_ , _Lost Weekend_ , and _Rock Show Vienna_."

"You've got too much time on your hands, dude," said Thunderbass.

"Well, Song Cue's been doing some Thomas stories in her spare time," said Fluttershy.

"I wonder how she's been doing with them?" Vincent mused.

"She's been doing great," Fluttershy told him. "Song Cue came up with a way of combining Sir Handel's season four/ _Railway Series_ persona with his persona from season ten onward. Song Cue actually started to like Sir Handel more post-season ten, contrary to what other people may say."

"Now that is interesting indeed," said Vincent. "I should read them whenever I get the chance."

"The rest of us may check it out too," shrugged Rainbow. "Even if we don't fully understand the series in the way you guys do." Vincent and Math gave an aside glance to one another and smiled.

"Anyway," said Soarin, "it sure looks like we've made the best of this outing."

"We sure have indeed," agreed Rarity.

"We should do this again sometime," said Pinkie Pie. "Maybe with siblings next time. Ooh, maybe I can bring Maud, or Limestone, or Marble. Maybe all three!"

"Just as long as Prism Strike doesn't make me look like a fool," Rainbow Dash muttered.

"And Zephyr can be a bit of a troublemaker..." sighed Fluttershy.

"Ah think the rest of them will be fine," said Applejack. "Oh, that reminds me, Thunderbass; do ya have any siblings?"

"Sadly not," said Thunderbass. "I'm an only child."

"Well, you have us now," said Sunset. "I told Fictionary that you can never have too many honoree siblings."

"Aww, thanks a bunch," smiled Thunderbass.

"Group hug!" cried Pinkie Pie. Without any further warning, Pinkie grabbed as many friends as she could into a huge group hug.

"I love hugs," said Fluttershy.

"Gimme a break," groaned Rainbow Dash. The others shrugged, chuckled and broke out of the embrace.

"Aw, lighten up, Dashie," said Soarin. "Wanna head over to play some _Injustice_?" Rainbow Dash nodded eagerly.

"Hey, count me in too," said Thunderbass. "Oh, I bet I get to play as Batman; that guy rocks!"

"I wanna play as Superman," said Caramel. "I'll kick your butt, Thunder!"

"Oh, we'll see about that!" Thunderbass smirked.

"Sounds like a blast!" said Pinkie.

"Ah, what the heck," said Applejack. "Count me in too. The rest of y'all comin'?"

Twilight, Rarity and Math nodded in agreement.

"Maybe I'll just, uh, get blankets and stuff for everyone while you play the game," Fluttershy said timidly.

"Probably a good idea so nothing gets broken," said Twilight.

"And maybe there will be a pillow fight after the game too," said Pinkie.

"Kinda extreme, isn't it?" asked Math.

"Hey, it could happen," Pinkie pointed out.

"Mm, I guess," said Math. "What about you, Vincent? You and Sunset coming?"

"Uh, well, I was thinking maybe Vincent and I could go back to mine for a bit," said Sunset. "Is that okay with you guys?"

"It's cool; I understand," said Soarin. "Maybe you'll come over another time."

"We'll be there for sure," Sunset agreed. After the group ate their snacks and paid the bills, they left Sugarcube Corner. As they went their ways, Vincent looked to Sunset.

"Sunny?" he murmured.

"Yes, Vinnie?" asked Sunset. Before Vincent could say anymore, he leaned forward and kissed Sunset on the lips. She blushed and looked at her boyfriend in surprise.

"I love you," he finished.

"I... I love you too," Sunset finally said. "Cheeky boy." The two then embraced in another kiss.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Although not mentioned, Number Crunch and Masked Puck were going to give Math a drum kit for his birthday.**


	14. SLS14 - The Back Seat of My Car

Finally, we come to the end of _Silly Love Songs_! The content of the chapter contains some sexual material - once again, why the series as a whole is rated T - and if you're bothered by it, then this chapter may not be for you.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 1 -** ** _Silly Love Songs_**

 **Chapter 14 - The Back Seat of My Car (McCartney, 1971)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **AUGUST 6, 2038**

There was a long silence after Vincent and Sunset finished their story about how they fell in love.

"Mom, dad," said Dawn, "that was a wonderful story."

"Glad you like it, Dawn," said Sunset. "It's quite a sweet one, isn't it?"

"It sure is," said Violet. "I like how Blossomforth got to find her special someone in the end."

"And I wonder who those other people were mentioned in the story," said Dusk. "Silverstream, Ocellus, Yona, Smolder and Gallus."

"They're Sandbar's closest friends," explained Vincent. "All coming from different regions around the world."

"Wow, really?" Twilight V smiled. "Which regions?"

"From what I was told," said Sunset, "Gallus hails from Australia, Ocellus from the Middle East, Smolder from China, and Yona from Russia. Silverstream's lived in Rainbow Falls her whole life."

"We've got to hear more about them sometime," said Violet. "They sound interesting."

"Maybe we could ask them at some point," said her older sister. The four of the children readily agreed to the idea.

"Aunt Sunset," said Dusk, "there is more to the story, right?"

"That there is," Sunset told her nephew. "It was like my mother Celestia said; it was the start of a new beginning for us. We'll tell you all tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, aunt Sunset." It was right now almost eleven in the evening.

"Goodness," said Sunset, glancing at the clock. "I didn't know it was that late."

"We might as well get ready for bed then," said her husband.

"I'll get ready too," yawned Dawn. "Night, mom. Night, dad."

"You kids better get some rest too," said Twilight to her son and daughters. She and Flash had come in whilst Vincent and Sunset were telling their story.

"Alright, mother," said Dusk.

"Good night, mom and dad," said Violet.

* * *

Soon, Vincent and Sunset were in their bedroom.

"What a day," said Vincent.

"You said it," said Sunset as she was putting on a night robe. Suddenly, a mischievous smirk grew on Vincent's face. Before Sunset could tie up her robe, she felt her husband's fingers tickling her abdomen from behind.

"Ahh! Vincent!" cried Sunset, before bursting into a fit of giggles. Before she could breathe, she felt a finger entering her navel, making her shriek with laughter.

"Tickle tickle tickle!" laughed Vincent cheekily.

"Vincent, you mischievous child!" exclaimed Sunset through her laughter. She decided to counter with some tickles of her own. Vincent laughed upon feeling his wife's fingers tickling him in the sides.

"Twenty-five years," said Sunset with a smirk. "And yet you always seem to enjoy pressing that particular button."

"Well, to be fair," said Vincent. "You kinda brought that upon me."

"Whatever do you mean?" asked Sunset innocently.

"Well... remember our first time after we officially became a couple?" asked Vincent.

"You mean in my first car?"

"Yeah, I do," said Vincent. "I remember when you insisted your Chevy Cruze was sunburst orange when Flash said it was brown."

"Yeah, he never let up about that," said Sunset. "Still, I remember it like it was yesterday..."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 15, 2014**

It had been a few hours since the hangout at Sugarcube Corner. After that, she and Vincent had arrived at her place and watched _Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban_ together. But after Vincent left, Sunset was doing some light reading in her bedroom.

 _These past few years,_ she thought to herself, _Vincent and I have grown very close after nearly drifting apart forever. Yet for how much we love each other, we kept our true loving feelings bottled up._

Sunset then put her book down and looked into her closet. Among her shirts was an orange shoulder-less top with very short sleeves and a red and yellow sun on the front.

"I got this top for Christmas last year," said Sunset, "but I never had the chance to wear it yet."

Curious to try it on, Sunset pulled the sleeveless top out of her closet and put it on her bed. Then she took off the shirt she was wearing (she had a black bra underneath and her door was closed) and then put on the sleeveless top. Sunset then turned to look at herself in a nearby mirror.

"Hmm... It looks good on me," she said, stretching up. She then looked down to see that some of her midriff (and most importantly, her navel) had been exposed whilst she was stretching. Curiously, Sunset stuck her right index finger into her navel. This caused her to slightly giggle. She continued to poke around her navel for another minute.

"I never knew I was _this_ ticklish down there," Sunset giggled to herself. "I wonder if this could be something Vincent and I could do." She then decided to make a little call. After a few ring back tones, Vincent finally answered.

" _Hello?_ "

"Hey, Vinnie," said Sunset. "It's me."

" _Oh, hi there, Sunset,_ " said Vincent. " _It hasn't even been an hour since I left for home._ "

"I know," giggled Sunset, "but I still was thinking about you."

" _Aw, that's nice of you, Sunset,_ " said Vincent. " _What'd you want to talk to me about?_ "

"I was wondering if you wanted to go on a bit of a ride with me," said Sunset. "In my car?"

" _Erm... sure,_ " said Vincent, sounding a bit nervous. " _W-where did you have in mind?_ "

"Maybe to the waterfall?" Sunset suggested.

" _Sure,_ " said Vincent. " _But why that particular place?_ "

"It's where you saved me from myself, silly," Sunset giggled. "Did you have anything else planned for the evening?"

" _Well, no, I don't,_ " said Vincent.

"Great," said Sunset. "See you soon."

" _Alright, Sunny,_ " said Vincent. " _I love you._ "

"Love you too, Vinnie," giggled Sunset. Both lovers then hung up. "Now where did I leave that purple skirt and belt?"

* * *

Later, Vincent was sitting outside of the Sentry household on the front steps, waiting for Sunset to show up. At last, he saw a car pull in. It was a 2011 Chevy Cruze in sunburst orange, and in the driver's seat was Sunset Shimmer. She honked the horn twice to attract his attention.

"Hey, Vincent!" she called from inside the car. "You ready to go?"

"Sure am," said Vincent. He then hopped inside the car, and once he buckled up, Sunset drove off.

"Notice anything different about me?" she asked as she drove.

"You've got a new top and skirt on," Vincent noted. "Why's that?"

"Well, I kinda missed the purple and orange," said Sunset. "Think I should wear this more often?"

"It looks good on you," said Vincent. "If you want to wear it more often, what's stopping you?"

"Thanks, Vincent," smiled Sunset.

"So... what'll we be doing when we get to the waterfall?" asked Vincent. "Cause it's too cold for swimming and I don't have swim gear with me."

"Mostly just loving each other," said Sunset.

"Wh-what do you mean by that?" asked Vincent. "We love each other enough, don't we?"

"You'll see when we get there," said Sunset with a flirty wink. Vincent was confused by Sunset's answer, but said nothing.

* * *

After several minutes of driving, the couple finally turned up at the base of Rainbow Falls' famous waterfall.

"Do you still feel nervous, Vincent?" asked Sunset as she pulled up.

"M-maybe a little," said Vincent sheepishly. "I don't know, I guess I'm a bit anxious as to what you've got planned."

"Don't worry," said Sunset. "No one's gonna get hurt. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do," Vincent smiled. "It is quite lovely out here tonight."

"Mm, it sure is, Vincent," Sunset replied, taking off her jacket.

"Aren't you gonna get cold?" asked Vincent. But he didn't get a response from his girlfriend. Instead, she got up close to his face and batted her eyelids flirtatiously.

"So... Vincent..." she said slowly in a seductive tone. "Are you gonna satisfy me or what?"

"Th-there's n-not gonna be m-much room to move around i-in front, is there?" he managed to ask, blushing madly.

"Well... why don't we move into the back seat of my car?" suggested Sunset, still in a seductive tone.

"S-sure," said Vincent. Both lovers then got out of the car (the doors were still unlocked), and then opened the back doors before locking themselves inside.

"It's pretty comfortable in here," said Vincent.

"Mmm... yes..." said Sunset, stretching upwards. As she did so, her shirt was raised, revealing her navel once again. Vincent barely had a chance to gaze at it before Sunset pulled him in to kiss him on the lips. Whilst kissing, both Vincent and Sunset then began to moan with pleasure. After a few minutes, Vincent then began to rub Sunset's sides and abdomen with his right hand, making Sunset giggle as they kissed. Before Sunset knew it, she felt something poking inside her navel.

"Oh!" cried Sunset, and then she burst into laughter; Vincent was tickling her belly button!

"That's your weak spot, isn't it?" he teased with a smirk.

"Yehehehes!" Sunset cried through her laughter. "What was that for?!"

"Just for fun," grinned Vincent. "Did you pick your shirt to show off some of your belly to me?"

"Y-yes," giggled Sunset.

"Want me to tickle it some more?" teased Vincent.

"M-maybe a little," said Sunset, blushing hard. Nervously, she lifted her shirt exposing more of her belly. Vincent gave her a belly rub, making her blush more.

"It's so soft," he whispered.

"Hehe, thanks," Sunset giggled. Before she knew it, she felt something wet inside her navel.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" she shrieked. Vincent was now tickling her belly button with his tongue! "STAHAHAHAHAP IHIHIHIHIT!" And before she had a chance to breathe, Vincent blew a raspberry on her navel. This made her laugh even harder.

"Vincent!" she cried, pushing him away from her belly and covering it with her shirt in embarrassment. "You naughty boy!"

"But you love me anyway, right?" asked Vincent cheekily.

"Of course I do," said Sunset, before deviously smirking, "but now it's _my_ turn..." She then began to tickle her mischievous boyfriend under his arms.

"Like that?" Sunset teased as Vincent began to laugh.

"Nahahahat realhehehehe!" laughed Vincent. "Whahahaht's ahahahahall thahahat fohohohor?!"

"Punishment for being naughty," giggled Sunset.

"All rihihihight, I gehehehet it!" laughed Vincent. "I'm sorry!"

"For what?" asked Sunset innocently.

"I'm sorry if I violated your belly button," Vincent managed to say through his laughter. "Can you stop, please?!"

"Okay, Vinnie," said Sunset. "I'll stop because you asked nicely." They were quiet for a minute before Sunset spoke up again.

"Now, back to what we were doing," she said flirtatiously. "Before you decided to stick your tongue in my belly button..."

Sunset then leaned forward and kissed Vincent on the lips again, and he kissed her back. She was desperate for all the lust he had for her and wanted to give him the same amount of lust she had for him.

"Ohh, Vincent," she moaned after about a minute. "Let's make every second of this count, shall we?"

"I'll make sure of it, my darling," Vincent replied. By now, he was feeling a little out of breath, but he wasn't going to stop any time soon. Sunset's lips were tasty and he couldn't get enough of them. Nor could he get enough of listening to her delicate moans; it was like music to his ears.

Sunset felt her tongue against Vincent's; his was the same that violated her navel, but even then, Sunset thought Vincent was very good with his tongue, especially the way it came in and out of his mouth when teasing her belly button. Neither wanted this moment to end.

After several minutes of non-stop kissing, both lovers paused to catch their breath.

"I love you, Sunset," Vincent whispered.

"I love you too, Vincent," Sunset replied.

Neither knew how long this magical moment lasted, but it seemed like forever when they finally stopped. By now, Sunset had taken off her shirt and shoes, but was still wearing her skirt and bra. Vincent was also without shoes, shirt and glasses, but still had his jeans on. Both were resting against one another in the back seat - breathless, hair ruffled, but very happy. After all those years, they had finally let out their emotions.

Even through his nearsightedness, Vincent still thought Sunset looked beautiful as she gazed up at him, smiling warmly.

"I love you, Sunset," said Vincent. "Nothing will ever change that as long as I'm with you."

"I love you too, Vincent," said Sunset. "I'll forever love you with all my heart. Don't ever let go of me."

"Never." Vincent slid his hand down Sunset's side, but before his fingertips could reach her abdomen, she took a hold of his hand and placed it on the side of her head, his thumb stroking her cheek.

"I knew what you were thinking," Sunset giggled as she kissed him.

"You do?"

"You were going to tickle me again," said Sunset.

"Was I?" he asked innocently.

"Yes, you were," teased Sunset. "Admit it."

"Okay, I was thinking of it," said Vincent. "I just couldn't help myself."

"Couldn't you?" smirked Sunset, again batting her eyelids. "Whatever gave you the idea to play with my belly button, Vinnie?"

"You kinda brought it upon me through flirting," said Vincent.

"Oh?" asked Sunset innocently. "What made you think that?"

"There was that time I first saw you in a swimsuit," Vincent began. "I thought you looked beautiful in it, but I was afraid of saying anything unless I came off as a pervert."

"It's okay, Vincent," smiled Sunset. "I'm glad you think that."

"And I remember last year," said Vincent, "where you were posing for that painting."

"Oh, how could I forget," said Sunset. "I admit I felt threatened by Blossomforth having a crush on you, especially the way she'd force you to rub her belly. I was afraid you would forget about me."

"I would never forget you," insisted Vincent. "Though when you took of your shirt to try and seduce me, I felt very nervous. Looking back on it now, I noticed how much braver I've become."

"Yeah," said Sunset. "Though you did kiss my belly while I was standing up."

"Yeah, I'll admit I did," said Vincent, blushing slightly. "It did feel soft."

Sunset blushed. "You wanna feel it?" she asked. "With your hand, of course." So Vincent put his hand on his girlfriend's belly and started to gently rub it. Sunset giggled softly when she felt his touch.

"It feels good," she said, kissing Vincent. "I'm lucky to have a wonderful boyfriend like you, Vincent."

"And I'm lucky to have a girlfriend like you, Sunset," said Vincent. Then they both kissed on the lips again. This was a night they'd never forget for the rest of their lives.

* * *

 **AUGUST 6, 2038**

"Oh, it was such an exciting evening," said Sunset. "And how young we were back then, ready to change the world."

"Yeah," said Vincent. "I really enjoyed playing with your belly, and when you were pregnant with Dawn, it was even more exciting."

"You poked at my belly button a lot though," said Sunset. "Even when it was an outie."

"I couldn't help myself," objected Vincent. "It was looking at me, and it looked so lonely."

"And you made Dawn kick a lot," added Sunset.

"She was saying 'hello'."

"If you say so," Sunset giggled. With that, she kissed her husband before getting herself into bed.

"Good night, Vincent," she said. "I love you."

"I love you too, Sunset," said Vincent. "Pleasant dreams." With that said, the lights turned off, and the couple drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Originally, this was chapter 12 whilst "Maybe I'm Amazed" was chapter 14. However, I decided to swap them around.**

 **Sunset's first car being sunburst orange is a reference to** ** _The Grand Tour_** **.**


	15. H&V1 - Keep Under Cover

Here we go with the next saga of the series, _Heroes and Villains_! This time, we're going back to 1994 with someone named Cobalt Star. Who is she? Read the chapter to find out.

Again, the content of this chapter contains some sexual material and if you're bothered by it, then this chapter may not be for you. However, it is a little more explicit, and if you think it should be marked M because of it, please let me know.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 1 - Keep Under Cover (McCartney, 1983)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Do you remember that when Celestia was a student at Canterlot High School, one of her schoolmates was Abacus Cinch? You do? Well, before we continue our story about Vincent and Sunset, here is a story about Abacus Cinch and her family...

In the mid 1960s, the Cinch family emigrated from England to Rainbow Falls for the opportunity of a better home and work. Well, that was what they _claimed_ , at least. Back in England, the family was infamous in its habit of blackmailing others to get what they wanted, and in order to avoid spending years in prison, the family fled to Rainbow Falls.

On September 26, 1970, their family grew with the birth of a daughter. Young Abacus Cinch was raised rather strictly. She had been taught that blackmail and cold decisiveness was the only true way to get ahead in life. Whilst Celestia Faust was very open and social at Canterlot High School, Abacus was closed off and cynical. During her time at CHS, Abacus was a member of the student council.

In 1974, there came the birth of Abacus' younger sister, Cobalt Star. She had moderate lilac hair and cobalt blue eyes. Unlike her older sister, Cobalt Star was a troublemaker.

At school, Cobalt Star switched out one of her fellow students' pens for one that shoots out ink instead of writing words on paper. The unfortunate student ended up with ink all other himself.

"Hey!" cried the student. "Who did that?!" No one spoke up, though Cobalt Star did her best to maintain a straight poker face. The teacher looked over, unimpressed.

"I want you to close your eyes," she said, and waited for them to do so. "Whoever did this, please raise your hand."

So far, no student raised their hand. The teacher groaned. "Okay, since no one is responsible, you all have to stay in for the first five minutes of break."

Most of the students groaned when they heard that bombshell. The teacher then went to find something to clean the ink from the student's clothes.

* * *

During break, a group of students were playing four-square, and the ball had bounced out of play. Cobalt Star had a water balloon ready and threw it into the middle of the game. One of the students had been hit in the head and soaked.

"You have got to be kidding!" cried the student. "Who threw that?" Before anyone could reply, more water balloons came flying their way.

"Ooh!" cried another student. "I just got these!"

"The water's freezing," said a third.

"How is one person able to throw that many water balloons?!" exclaimed a fourth.

"Maybe there's more than one prankster," the first one said, "and they could be hiding."

Suddenly, that was when the barrage of water balloons stopped.

"This is weird," the second student said. "I don't like this." By now, Cobalt Star had wisely ran off to avoid getting caught.

* * *

Later in class, the other students were still in a foul mood because of Cobalt Star's pranks (though they didn't know it was her), and they were made to do a spelling test. Cobalt Star was still bored though.

 _Why do I have to do these tests?_ she thought to herself. _This is so stupid..._ Then she got an idea, and though she continued looking up when the teacher was telling her a new word, she started sketching something on her paper. It was a couple of minutes before the teacher called her name.

"Here's the results," Cobalt Star said in the most cheerful voice she could muster. The teacher's eyes widened when she saw what Cobalt Star had on her paper.

"And just what is _this_ , missy?!" she asked crossly. Cobalt Star had drawn a very ridiculous sketch of the teacher saying "Blah, blah, blah!"

"I will be calling your parents about this outlandish behavior!" the teacher scolded. "I suspect it was you who pulled that pen prank, and that other prank I heard about some water balloons at break time."

When Cobalt Star's family heard the news, they were not happy with their youngest daughter.

"Cobalt Star," scolded her mother, "I cannot believe you would do something like that."

"But I was bored and wanted some comedy," insisted Cobalt Star.

"That does not excuse you from not doing work," said her father. "You're grounded until further notice!" Cobalt Star sulked off to her room.

"What are we going to do with her?" sighed her mother.

"I don't know, dear," said her husband. Abacus Cinch was doing her homework at the kitchen table nearby. She was trying not to pay attention to her sister's punishment, but she was too worried not to listen.

"I suppose I better see what's up," she said.

"They're all just jealous of me," Cobalt Star grumbled. "They want me to be a boring old fuddy duddy like them just because they don't understand the meaning of fun."

"They want you to keep out of trouble and have a successful future," Abacus insisted. "How can you expect to get anywhere in life if all you do is screw around and treat anything like a joke?"

"Would you rather me be a manipulative liar who takes pleasure at blackmailing others for her own selfish gain?" retorted Cobalt Star.

Her older sister looked blank for a moment. _Would that really be a good thing?_ she thought.

"I want to be my own person, Abby," continued Cobalt Star. "I want to live a free life without any rules or requirements holding me back."

"I see..." sighed Abacus, even though she didn't.

"Do you understand what I'm saying, sis?" said Cobalt Star.

"I... suppose I do," said Abacus at last.

"Thank you!" Cobalt Star rushed over to her big sister and hugged her tight. Abacus, taken aback, hugged her little sister in return. But sadly, not all moments like this last forever...

* * *

 **JUNE 24, 1994**

Cobalt Star was looking around a library one day, trying to find a joke book. But she unintentionally bumped into someone and made him drop his stack of books. The man had brown eyes and light grayish aquamarine hair with moderate and pale streaks in it.

"Oh dear!" she jumped back. "I can be a bit of a klutz sometimes. Here, let me pick some of those up."

"Oh no, it's no bother," the man insisted. "I didn't see where I was going."

"You sure have found a lot of books," said Cobalt Star.

"Thanks," said the man. "I'm a big ancient history buff, you see."

"You are?" asked Cobalt Star. "Well, that's interesting. History was never my strong suit in school."

"Why ever not?" asked the man.

"I'm always getting my facts mixed up," said Cobalt Star. "Oh, where are my manners; my name's Cobalt Star. What's yours?"

"Name's Firelight," he replied. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Same here," said Cobalt Star. "You live around here?"

"I sure do," said Firelight. "I don't live too far from this library actually."

"That's neat," said Cobalt Star. "Do you have any family around here?"

"Not really," sighed Firelight. "My parents live so far away."

"Oh, that's a shame," sympathized Cobalt Star. "They must be really nice people."

"Oh, they are," said Firelight, "and they treat me very well. Mother often read books to me as a kid and that's where my love for books came from. Father would cook up the best meals for the family."

"My family doesn't understand me at all," said Cobalt Star. "They want me to follow in _their_ footsteps, but _I_ want to follow _my_ own path."

"It shouldn't matter which path you follow," said Firelight. "It's okay if you want to divert from your family."

"You really think that?" asked Cobalt Star.

"I know so," assured Firelight. "My parents have jobs already, and I don't know what to do yet. But... they love me and I love them."

"That's really sweet," smiled Cobalt Star.

"If they're good parents, they will come around for you, Cobalt Star," Firelight assured.

"Aww, thanks, Firelight," said Cobalt Star, giving him a hug.

Firelight smiled slightly to himself. "Er, y-you're welcome..."

"Did you have any plans for the weekend?" asked Cobalt Star.

"Not really," he admitted. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't have anything going on either, so I was kinda wondering if you wanted to do something," Cobalt Star said.

"Did you have any ideas?" asked Firelight.

"We could... hang out at the library perhaps," she suggested.

"Yeah, I'd like that," said Firelight after what felt like an eternity.

"Great!" said Cobalt Star. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Same here," said Firelight. _She sure is a pretty girl,_ he thought to himself.

* * *

 **DECEMBER 31, 1994**

For the next several months, Cobalt Star and Firelight had been hanging out behind the former's family's back, and they were getting closer as time went on. It would all culminate on New Year's Eve...

"Oh, I can't wait!" she squealed to herself.

"Sister, what's happening?" asked Abacus, walking over. "You seem in a good mood today."

"You don't know the half of it," Cobalt Star grinned.

"What's happening, Cobalt Star?"

"I'm hanging out with some friends for a New Year's party," said Cobalt Star. This, of course, was untrue; she was saying that to avoid her family getting suspicious.

"I guess that's okay," said Abacus. "Have a good time."

"Thanks, big sis!" said Cobalt Star, giving her a hug.

"Okay, okay," said Abacus. "Run along now." And on that note, Cobalt Star left.

"This will be a great night," she sighed happily.

"Dinner's just about ready for two," said Firelight happily, walking around nervously. "Oh, I hope Cobalt Star will enjoy it..." Just then, there was a knock on the door.

"That must be her," Firelight said to himself. He went over to the door, and standing there was Cobalt Star herself.

"Surprise," she said cheerfully. She was wearing a lovely purple dress.

"Wow," said Firelight. "You look lovely this evening, Cobalt Star."

"Thank you," giggled Cobalt Star. "And Happy New Year's Eve."

"Happy New Year's Eve to you too," said Firelight. "Do come in."

"It's a lovely place you have there," said Cobalt Star, looking around.

"Thank you," said Firelight. "Wait until you see what I've made for us tonight." He then led Cobalt Star into the dining room and helped her into her seat.

"So, what's on the menu?" asked Cobalt Star.

"It's my father's old recipe for pasta," said Firelight. "Specifically, spaghetti. I wasn't sure about what you enjoyed, so I went for a tried and true approach."

Cobalt Star took a bite of the spaghetti.

"It's wonderful," she said. "It's the best spaghetti I've ever eaten."

"I'm glad you like it," said Firelight. "Wait until you've also tried the cheesy garlic bread," he added, showing another dish.

"I've never tried that before," said Cobalt Star, taking a slice. She took a bite before making her decision.

"This is really good," she said. "I'm surprised you don't have a restaurant of your own."

"That wouldn't be a bad idea, actually," said Firelight. "But it would take a lot of work."

"Oh," said Cobalt Star. "Still, seems like a nice idea, right?"

"It does sound like a yummy idea," chuckled Firelight. Several minutes went by before Cobalt Star asked him another question.

"So, do you have any close friends here?" she asked. "I don't think I asked you that."

"Not too many," said Firelight. "Though right by the street, there's that crazy liberal woman Stellar Flare."

"Sounds like a regular stick in the mud," giggled Cobalt Star.

"You're telling me," chuckled Firelight. "She often calls me a conservative nut."

"But you aren't," said Cobalt Star. "It's good to keep history around."

"I'm glad to know someone else shares my sentiment," smiled Firelight. The two had a good laugh and carried on with their dinner.

Soon it was time for dessert; the dish was a salted caramel cheesecake.

"I've had cheesecake before," said Cobalt Star, "but this is one I've not tried before." Cobalt took a small bite of the cheesecake and her eyes widened.

"This is perhaps the best cheesecake I've ever eaten!" she cried.

"I'm so glad you like it, Cobalt Star," grinned Firelight. Without even thinking, he said, "Not as much as I like you..."

Cobalt Star blushed bright red. "Y-you like me?"

Now it was Firelight's turn to blush. "D-did I say that out loud?"

"Unless I misheard you while eating my cake," Cobalt retorted playfully.

"Well then... y-yes, I do," Firelight said at last.

"I do too!" cried Cobalt Star. "You're the first person besides my sister who... gets me." Before Firelight could reply, Cobalt went and gave him a big hug. Firelight gave a small smile and hugged back in kind.

"Say, could I see the rest of your house?"

"Of course," said Firelight. With that, he led Cobalt up the stairs.

* * *

About an hour later, there was a knock at the door.

"Hello?" called Abacus from the other side. She had come to check up on her sister. But there was no response, so Abacus knocked again.

"Firelight? Cobalt?" she called. "Anyone there?" Still, no response.

"Where could they be?" asked Abacus. As she thought, she unknowingly put her hand on the doorknob. To her surprise, it resulted in the door opening.

"Who'd be that clueless enough to leave a door unlocked?" she remarked. Regardless, Abacus went inside to look for her sister. Suddenly, she swore she heard noises coming from upstairs.

"What on earth is that?" she murmured, making her way towards the stairs. As she ascended, Abacus could hear the sound of two people moaning with pleasure.

"Sounds like Cobalt up there," she said, picking up speed. The closer Abacus got, the louder the moaning was until she finally found the door from where the noise was coming.

"Cobalt?" called Abacus, opening the door. "What in the- _ARRRGH!_ "

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Firelight and Stellar Flare's argument is a reference to** ** _The Parent Map_** **.**


	16. H&V2 - The Answer's at the End

Here's the second half of the Cobalt Star/Abacus Cinch two-parter. Normal service will be resumed in chapter three.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 2 - The Answer's at the End (Harrison, 1975)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Back at the Cinch household, when Abacus' and Cobalt's parents heard about what had happened, they were furious with their youngest daughter.

"What do you think you are playing at, young lady?!" demanded their mother.

"Well, we w-were both tired," stuttered Cobalt, "so we went to bed and fell asleep."

"At eight in the evening?" asked Abacus with indignation. "Just about every adult is active during that hour."

"Uh... there was a lot of activities we did during the day," Cobalt tried to sound confident, "so, we decided to turn in early?"

"You left the house at around four," Abacus pointed out. "And you told me you were hanging out with some friends. They told me you were at Firelight's place, so I went to investigate and found you two in bed."

Cobalt sighed heavily. "I... I just... Firelight and I... we met a few months back. He was the first one to... get me. Then during New Year's Eve, I went to his house and we had dinner and... we confessed feelings."

"You mean to say, you met this man... **_and didn't tell any of us about it?!_** " her father roared with fury.

"You wouldn't get it!" Cobalt snapped. "That's why I didn't tell you! For all my life, you've told me what I was supposed to do, but I didn't want to follow your footsteps! I didn't want to blackmail others to get what I wanted, I wanted to be more fun and free! Firelight was the first person to truly understand this, and I will not be separated from him now!"

There was a stunned silence before the father spoke up again.

"Then you are no longer a member of this family, Cobalt Star!" he snapped. "I'm sorry, Abacus, but I've no choice. Your sister is a disgrace to the Cinch family name!"

"Father..." Abacus' voice quavered as she realized the gravity of the situation. Without saying another word, Cobalt Star left the house with Firelight shortly behind her.

"I'm sorry your dad disowned you," said Firelight sadly.

"It's alright," said Cobalt softly. Firelight then found himself being hugged tightly by Cobalt. "At least I have you."

"And I, you." Just then, they noticed Abacus walking up to them.

"Sister, wait," she called.

"Ugh... What?"

"I just wish to tell you," she said, "that... wherever you're going and whatever you're doing, you have my full support."

"You're sure you're not saying that just to make me feel better?" Cobalt snapped.

"I truly mean what I say, sister," assured Abacus. "Even if our parents don't think that, you're at least still family in my heart."

"I wish I could believe that," said Cobalt. "If you actually cared about me, then why did you have to open your big mouth to them about what I was doing? My choices were none of their business!"

"Your friends told them where you were, not me," said Abacus. Cobalt wanted to scream something in her sister's face, but she couldn't find the right words to say. Firelight gave an apologetic look at Abacus before gently leading Cobalt away. It was just a couple of hours before the New Year, but to Abacus Cinch, it felt like it would be the last time she would ever see her sister.

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 15, 1995**

It had been over eight months since Abacus last saw Cobalt Star. Abacus hadn't exactly been favorable among her neighbors and co-workers due to her family's reputation, and was feeling a bit lonely.

On that particular evening, there was a knocking at the door, and Abacus was the one who answered it.

"Yes?" she said upon swinging the door open. To her surprise, it was Firelight, with a great look of despair on his face.

"What's wrong, Firelight?" Abacus asked.

"It's Cobalt Star," he said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "She went into a premature labor and has been taken to hospital; the baby was due by the end of the month."

Abacus' eyes were filled with horror. "W-what are we standing around here for?!" she cried. "Come on, let's go to the hospital!" Firelight didn't need telling twice; they quickly jumped into her car and drove off.

"How long was her term?" asked Abacus.

"About thirty-six or thirty-seven weeks," said Firelight. "That's not too bad of a risk, is it?"

"I've heard worse scenarios where the mother and baby survived," Abacus admitted. "I say she's got a chance."

"That I doubt..." Firelight mumbled to himself. It wasn't a far drive to the hospital, and both headed toward the waiting room.

"What can I do for you two?" asked the receptionist.

"We're here to see my sister, Cobalt Star," Abacus quavered. "And her baby."

"You will find them in Room 308," said the receptionist. The two moved off quickly.

"She's gotta be okay," Firelight whispered to himself. He and Abacus then climbed into an elevator to the third floor, and then found themselves by the door of the eighth room - 308.

"Cobalt Star?" called Firelight quietly. "Are you there?" The response he and Abacus received was some weak coughing. The latter was shocked to see her sister; Cobalt Star was lying in a hospital bed, her hair a frazzled mess, and she looked extremely pale.

"Firelight... Abby..." Cobalt coughed. "How did... I mean, why... I mean..." she was broken off by another coughing fit.

"It's alright, Cobalt," said Abacus, putting an hand on her sister's shoulder. "When you're better, I'll ask our parents if they'll let you back in the family. Maybe even-"

"No!" gasped Cobalt. "It's too late for me..." Whilst Abacus was speaking to Cobalt, Firelight was speaking with Dr. Morrow.

"Will she better, Dr. Morrow?" he asked anxiously. The doctor shook his head sadly.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but whilst the baby may survive, I'm afraid Cobalt Star won't. She went into preterm labor, and it was caused by high blood pressure."

"She can't have had that!" protested Abacus. "She's only twenty-one, and she was in good health!"

"It can't be true... can it?" whispered Firelight hoarsely. Nurse Redheart showed them a small bundle wrapped in a yellow blanket. The baby's eyes were closed, and had purple hair with an aquamarine highlight in it.

"You're the father of this baby girl, I presume?" she asked Firelight.

He gave a small nod. "Yes... she's beautiful."

"We're keeping her at the hospital for a few weeks to ensure her survival," said Dr. Morrow. "Have you thought up a name for your daughter?"

Firelight paused for a moment. His daughter seemed to be a perfect mix of him and his lover, and he wanted his daughter to know her mum would always be with her.

"I want her to be called... Starlight," he said at last. "Starlight Glimmer."

"It's a... l-lovely name..." Cobalt managed to say despite a few coughs. "And Abby... will you help in raising your niece?"

"I don't think I'd pass for a good aunt..." Abacus admitted quietly. "But... I'll try."

"Th-thank you... sister..." Cobalt gasped, knowing her time was up. "You're... the... best..."

"Cobalt, no!" gasped Firelight. But it was too late; the monitor flat lined, accompanied by an uninterrupted beeping sound. Knowing what just happened, Dr. Morrow sadly walked over to double check. He felt Cobalt Star's wrist and could not find a pulse.

"I guess that means we're planning a funeral..." Abacus sobbed.

"You brought this upon her..." Firelight whispered bitterly, but loud enough so Abacus heard him.

"How did _I_ do this?" she snapped.

"If you and your accursed family hadn't thrown Cobalt out like she was rubbish," insisted Firelight, "then perhaps she would still be alive!"

"It wasn't my decision!" protested Abacus.

"No, but you should never have poked your nose into our business!"

As much as Abacus refused to admit it, inside, she knew that Firelight had a point. _How can I possibly atone for this now?_ she thought. With no more to say, she parted ways with Firelight.

* * *

Later in the evening, the Cinch family was taking part in some tea and biscuits.

"You're very quiet this evening," said Abacus' father. "Is there something on your mind, Abacus?"

"I... got some bad news..." Abacus said, almost hushed.

"What bad news?" asked her mother.

"Cobalt Star died," she said mournfully, "while giving birth to a daughter..."

"Don't you dare bring up her name at the table!" scolded her father.

"Didn't you listen properly?!" cried Abacus. "She died while giving birth!" The mother was so shocked by this bombshell that she dropped her cup and it shattered onto the floor, but she wasn't bothered by the mess she'd unintentionally caused.

"H-how did this happen?" gasped the mother.

"The doctor said she went into a premature labor," explained Abacus. "And before she died, she asked me to look after her daughter."

"She's an adult!" said the father. "That's impossible."

"It _is_ possible," said his wife. "A distant cousin of mine passed away whilst giving birth; never got to see her child."

"Well, the baby's gaining strength in hospital right now," Abacus explained.

"What is the baby's name?" asked the mother.

"Starlight Glimmer." Abacus got a picture out to show her parents.

"That's our grandchild?" asked the father, still stern.

"Yes," said Abacus. "Isn't she beautiful?"

"She is indeed," said the mother. "Who will be looking after her?"

"I think it'll be Firelight, and we should help him," said Abacus. "It's what Cobalt Star wanted."

"And why would _we_ think of looking after this... thing from her and that foolish boyfriend of hers?!" snapped her father.

"There's nobody else to look after little Starlight," protested Abacus. "We're the only other family she has in the area."

"She has a point, you know," said her mother.

Her husband sat there in silence for a few minutes, pondering things over. His youngest daughter had recently passed away, leaving behind her boyfriend to raise their baby daughter, his first grandchild, alone. To him, Firelight may potentially cause little Starlight to grow up "soft," and have too much of an idealistic view on the world. However, if it was the Cinch family who raised Starlight, perhaps they could do what they couldn't with Cobalt Star; raise her with their cynical mindset of the world. Finally, he nodded his head and gave a small smile, which could've been hiding a smirk.

"Okay then," said Abacus' mother, noting her husband's expression. "We'll help Firelight raise her."

Abacus smiled to herself in relief. Maybe with Firelight's help, Starlight would grow up to be a goodhearted girl. That would've been the end of the story right here, but I'm afraid things got a little more complicated between the parties, especially when Starlight was allowed out of the hospital.

* * *

"Joint custody for Starlight?!" exclaimed Firelight when he heard of the idea. Abacus had come to speak with him on behalf of her parents, acting like a neutral party.

"Well, she is my niece and their grandchild as much as she's your daughter," Abacus explained gently.

"But what makes you think you're worthy guardians for her?" snapped Firelight. "You aren't exactly the most trustworthy of people around here."

"You and Cobalt Star kept slipping off behind our backs for ages," retorted the father.

"I don't think we should've mentioned that..." his wife muttered.

"Why do you _think_ we slipped off?!" growled Firelight. "You guys were completely unsupportive of us being a couple before we even lay eyes on each other. I was the first one to show her there was another way to this than blackmail and scheming, and we both had true compassion for each other. Maybe Starlight is better off being raised by me!"

"But what if she wanted to find out about Cobalt Star?" asked Abacus, hoping to restore order to the situation. "How would she even know about her background, much less her maternal family?"

"Maybe that would be for the best," Firelight sighed, "considering all the cruel ways of most of that side of the family."

But Abacus' father was not the sort of man who'd give up this easily. Because both sides could not come up with an agreement, the issue was taken to court - I'll spare you the details, but the long and short is that the Cinch family was able to gain full custody of baby Starlight, along with a restraining order preventing Firelight from ever seeing her.

"You may have won this battle," Firelight insisted, "but you have not won the war! You blackmailed the jury into siding with you just so you could bully Starlight the same way you bullied her mother! I just know it! One day, you monsters are going to finally get what you deserve! And when that time comes, I'll be able to rescue my daughter and protect her from your cruelty!"

"I can't believe you're trying to cut Firelight out of Starlight's life!" objected Abacus. "He's her father!"

"This is for Starlight's own good," insisted her mother. "Otherwise, she'll end up as soft and foolish as her mother."

* * *

But as Firelight predicted, Mr. and Mrs. Cinch would soon get exactly what they deserved. For the next couple of years, Starlight Glimmer was raised with the same strict discipline that her mother had endured.

One day, however, there was a knock at the door.

"Who on earth could that be?" asked Mr. Cinch, opening the door. Awaiting him were several police officers and many angry citizens behind them.

 _Oh no..._ thought Mr. Cinch when he saw the crowd. _It's the police with all the people my wife and I have blackmailed throughout the years. Even the jury from the custody hearing!_

"Nicholas Cinch," said the head police officer, "you and your wife are under arrest for over a hundred counts of blackmail, and obstruction of justice."

"There must be some kind of mistake!" protested Mr. Cinch.

"Tell it to the judge."

* * *

Nicholas and Merriwether Cinch both found themselves on trial for blackmail and arrest evasion and found guilty on multiple counts. They were promptly deported back to the United Kingdom and were given a sentence of twenty years in prison.

As for Starlight, Abacus went to go find Firelight to let him know what happened.

"So your parents got arrested and deported?" he asked, without a hint of emotion in his voice.

"Yes," she sighed. "Therefore, they have no custody over Starlight. I was hoping we could go back to the original plan - us raising her together."

Firelight scoffed with indignation. "You think I'd be willing to share my daughter with her aunt?" he snapped.

"Look," she said, trying to reason with him. "I know you wanted to raise her with Cobalt Star, and I wanted that too... but with the way things are now, we need to stay as positive as we can for Starlight. She's young after all."

"She's almost three years old!" protested Firelight. "By now, I reckon that her miserable excuses for grandparents have brainwashed her!"

"She's still dependent on caregivers," Abacus argued. "And personalities are fully developed by age eight or nine. I think we can turn this around."

"And how do you propose we do that, eh? Blackmail?"

"Wha... no!" Abacus cried. "There are better ways to approach the situation. Cobalt Star made me realize that."

"Well then, let's let Starlight decide," decided Firelight. They went inside and found little Starlight playing with her toys. The toddler looked up curiously. Who was this new person?

"Hello, Starlight," Firelight said, calmly. "My name is Firelight. I'm your daddy."

Starlight blinked slowly, then took a closer look at Firelight. His hair did slightly resemble her own. She gave a small smile and walked over... well, as good as any toddler would walk.

"Daddy..." she said, raising her small arms to him.

"Yes," Firelight said gently. "It's daddy alright. It's so good to see you."

"Daddy."

"That's very sweet," said Abacus to herself. "Now, Starlight - your father and I have had a bit of a discussion."

Starlight just looked a bit puzzled, but nodded as if she understood.

"This matter is... very complicated," said Firelight, hoping to break the news gently to his daughter.

"Okay..." she said, not understanding.

"Your aunt Abacus and I..." Firelight struggled to find the right words.

"Fwiends?" Starlight grinned. "You'wr fwiends?"

"Uh, no, that's not what I'm trying to say."

"Wh... what happen?" asked Starlight.

"Do you... wish to get to know your daddy better?" Firelight pressed gently. Starlight nodded, still not understanding what was going on.

"I don no daddy that mut," said Starlight.

"That's correct," said Firelight, "and I want to get to know my daughter."

"But... awntie Abby..." said Starlight.

"It's alright," said Abacus. "It's all up to you."

Starlight looked back and forth between the two adults; she was familiar to her aunt's presence, but barely got a chance to see her father, let alone know him.

"Awntie... daddy..." said Starlight, now looking a bit distressed. The toddler then began to whimper quietly.

"Starlight, it's alright," comforted Firelight, reaching out to her. He touched her shoulder, which suddenly caused Starlight to yelp.

Firelight jumped back, startled. "Uh... Starlight?" The poor toddler was now looking frightened, almost as if she was on the verge of crying.

"What's wrong, Starlight?" asked Firelight gently. His daughter was now curled up into a ball, unable to look at him after the way he touched her.

 _What did I do wrong?_ Firelight hung his head down.

"Perhaps it could be that she isn't used to your presence," said Abacus at last.

"I guess so... Does it mean she doesn't even want me to... be her father...?"

Abacus looked over to her niece, still curled up in a ball.

"It's okay, Starlight," she said gently. "Aunt Abacus is there." Starlight looked up from her position to see Abacus looking down at her. Reluctantly, she crawled over to her aunt.

"I guess this means she wants to be with you..." sighed Firelight.

"Awntie," said Starlight. Despite his sadness, Firelight left the house with composed dignity.

"I guess she prefers Abacus over me," he said to himself. "Truth be told, I should have seen this coming, especially with how I frightened her accidentally. I'm sorry I let you down, Cobalt..." If only he knew what would become of his daughter down the road...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Originally, this was going to be a part of chapter one, and chapter two was going to retell some events in Starlight's point of view.**


	17. H&V3 - Heart on My Sleeve

Oh yeah, this thing.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 3 - Heart on My Sleeve (Starr, 1978)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, Rachel/TobyandMavisforever, and Mike Nicholson**

 **AUGUST 7, 2038**

Sunset Shimmer was still asleep when Vincent first awoke. Even in her early forties, Vincent thought she looked beautiful when she was asleep.

 _I wonder if she needs a little wake up call,_ Vincent said to himself as a mischievous grin formed on his face. He lifted the covers and slowly lowered his hand, which was in a tickling position, towards Sunset's belly. But before the deed could be done...

"Don't even think about it." His wife, even with her eyes closed, seemed to have predicted that Vincent wanted to tickle her.

"How did you know it was me?" asked Vincent innocently.

"I know you too well, Vinnie," Sunset giggled, opening her eyes. "Good morning." She and Vincent soon got out of bed to take their shower. After that, they put on some fresh clothes and went downstairs. Dawn was already there, lying down on the couch.

"Morning, kiddo," greeted Vincent.

"Morning, dad," said Dawn. "Mom."

"Did you sleep well last night?" asked Sunset.

"Like a baby."

"You'll always be our baby," teased Vincent, ruffling his daughter's hair.

"Dad!" Dawn laughed.

"Our little sunspot," giggled Sunset, pinching her daughter's cheek.

"Mom!" Dawn laughed again. "I'm not a little kid anymore."

"We know," said Sunset. "But we still love you."

"I know," said Dawn. "I love you too, and nothing will ever change that."

 _Nothing will ever change that,_ Vincent thought to himself. _That sounds familiar...  
_  
"Is something on your mind?" asked Sunset.

"Yes, actually," said Vincent. "It almost reminded me of that incident with Blueblood."

"The same person who abused aunt Rarity that one Fall Formal?" asked Dawn. Ever since her birth, Sunset's bandmates of the Rainbooms had been viewed as honorary aunts for Dawn.

"The very same," sighed Sunset. "Right bastard, he was."

"Kind of harsh, isn't it?" asked Vincent.

"Well, he did say unspeakable things about our family," Sunset pointed out.

"What happened?" asked Dawn.

"Well," said Vincent, "it all began with an invitation..."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 19, 2014**

For Vincent, yesterday had been a pretty big day, to say the least. No, not because of a trip outside of Rainbow Falls, but because yesterday was Math Equation's nineteenth birthday. To celebrate, they had all gone to a gaming convention. One of the first games played there was _Sonic Generations_ where they played with Song Cue and her siblings plus Fluttershy. Vincent and Sunset also played _Mortal Kombat 2011_ as Scorpion and Mileena, respectively, though Rarity had to keep herself from puking upon seeing the excessive amount of gore. ("I wouldn't wish it upon Sweetie Belle," she had said.) Alongside the current generation of gaming, they tried out some more retro games like _Super Mario Bros_ and _Pac-Man_.

During the lunch break at the convention center's cafe, where they had pizza and breadsticks, the group gave Math their gifts to him. Vincent drew up a custom-made birthday card with Thomas the tank engine and Percy the small engine on the front. Rarity surprised him with a ticket to a Ringo Starr concert in California for the summer. Sunset gave him a copy of _Yellow Submarine_ on DVD along with the songtrack to go along with it. Song Cue gave him a T-shirt with a Nintendo controller on it that read "Old School".

Eventually, it was time for them to go home. Math Equation thanked his friends for a fantastic birthday, and promised to do nice things for them on their own birthdays. While Math Equation's birthday had been fun, another birthday celebration was soon to be right around the corner...

* * *

Right now, Vincent was lying on the couch in the living room, reading _Paul is Undead: The British Zombie Invasion_. He was chuckling at some of the book's dark humor when Flash called out for him.

"Hey, Vincent; there's a letter for all of us!"

"Really?" asked Vincent, looking up from his book. "Who's it from?"

"It's from Sunset and her family."

"Neat!" said Vincent. He placed the book on the couch and walked over to where his brother stood. "What's the occasion?"

"Well, read this," said Flash. The letter was as follows:

" _To Vincent, Flash, Fictionary, and Page Turner Sentry,_

 _You are all hereby invited to a dinner at Faust Mansion. The date and time are on the 22nd of February, at 4:30 in the afternoon. The date marks our eldest daughter Celestia Faust-McCracken's forty-third birthday, and we hope to see you all there._

 _Sincerely,_  
 _Harmony and Artemus Faust._ "

"Wow," said Vincent. "A fancy party invitation."

"Might be a bit less fancy than that," said Flash. "This is Principal McCracken we're talking about here."

* * *

Meanwhile, First Base, Scootaloo and their mother Cindy had also gotten a similar letter addressed to them.

"If Flash and his family are going," said Scootaloo, "so should we."

"It'll be great to see Fictionary and her brothers again," said First Base.

"But mom," said Scootaloo, "do I have to wear a dress to the party?"

"It won't kill you to look nice," said her mother.

"I suppose," sighed Scootaloo. "Don't want to look too out of place."

"Splendid," smiled Cindy. "Oh, wait until you see the dress I got for you..."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 22, 2014**

It was Saturday, the day of Celestia's birthday. The new Sentry family car, bought following the death of Lullaby Strings, rolled up alongside Faust Mansion. Cindy and the twins were waiting outside the building.

"They made it!" cried First Base when he saw the family.

"Hey, guys," greeted Flash. First Base ran up to Flash and gave him a big hug. "Hey there, slugger."

"Oh, that's your nickname for me?" First Base joked.

"Ain't it fitting, though?" asked Flash.

"I suppose it is," First Base chuckled. "Especially with my love for the sport."

"Hey there, Scoots," said Fictionary. "Nice dress."

"It was mom's idea," grumbled Scootaloo.

"But you look lovely in it," said Vincent, hoping to reassure her.

"It's good to see you again, Vincent," said Cindy.

"Same here, Ci- er, mom," said Vincent, awkwardly accepting a hug from her; he still wasn't used to having a stepmother around.

"So, how have things been going for you and the twins?" asked Page Turner.

"Fairly well," said Cindy. "In fact, just a few days ago, Scootaloo got in a fight with someone at First Base's game when they called her a chicken."

"Really? Why'd they call her that?" asked Page Turner, slightly amused.

"Because I'm short," grumbled Scootaloo.

"You're not that short," insisted Fictionary.

"How would you know?"

"Pipsqueak's even shorter than you, and he's about a couple of years younger than us."

"Yeah, that's true," Scootaloo agreed. "Speaking of him, I heard Sweetie Belle mention she's invited him to hang out at her place."

"Does Rarity approve?" asked Fictionary.

Scootaloo nodded. "She thinks Sweetie Belle has a crush on him."

"Aww, now that's cute," Fictionary giggled.

"Heh, well, you wouldn't see me getting a crush on anyone," Scootaloo smirked.

"Not even... Rumble?"

"I... uh... he's a good person..." Scootaloo's face turned bright red.

"Hey, it's okay if you've a crush on someone," said Vincent.

"Yeah," agreed Fictionary, remembering when she met Butterscotch. Page Turner went to the front door of the mansion and rang the doorbell. Several moments later, an elderly dark red-haired woman responded; it was Celestia and Luna's mother, Harmony.

"Greetings everyone!" smiled Harmony. "It's so nice to see you."

"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. Faust," said Page Turner.

"Pleasure is all mine." Harmony and Page Turner shook hands in greeting. "How have you been?"

"We've been doing alright given the recent events in our family," said Page Turner.

"Oh, yes," Harmony said. "I understand it can be hard."

"Yeah," said Page Turner. "We're slowly beginning to heal, though."

"I'm glad to hear that. Come on in." Harmony stepped back to let the family into the mansion. As the Sentries walked inside, Harmony looked over toward Flash and smiled.

"So, Vincent is it?" she said. "Sunset said she had a charming boyfriend."

Flash went red with embarrassment. "Uh... I-I-I'm not Vincent... Th-that's my younger brother..."

"Oh..." Harmony felt equally as embarrassed. "Uh, sorry about that..." She then looked over at First Base.

"And what's your name?" Harmony asked.

"I'm First Base," the youngest Sentry son replied. "Vincent's the one with the glasses."

"Ah, I get it now," Harmony nodded in understanding, and glanced at the two sisters. "What are your names?"

"I'm First Base's twin sister, Scootaloo," the cerise-haired teenager replied. "And that's Fictionary, the baby of the family."

"Hey, I'm not a baby!" retorted Fictionary.

"She meant you're the youngest of us," Vincent explained.

"Oh, well that's true," Fictionary sighed. "It's good to finally meet you, Harmony."

"Good to see all of you too," said Harmony. "Celestia told me a lot about you."

"Sunset told us how she took her in," said Scootaloo. "Celestia is a good mom as well as a great principal."

Speaking of whom, the red-haired girl walked up to greet the Sentry family, wearing the same dress that she wore at the Fall Formal with Vincent last year.

"Hey guys!" called Sunset. "So glad you could make it."

"Good evening, my love," said Vincent. He and Sunset then greeted each other with a kiss on the lips.

"Hi there, Sunset," said Fictionary, giving her a hug.

"Hey, Fictionary," grinned Sunset, hugging back. "How are you doing today?"

"Super-duper." First Base and Scootaloo were next to greet Sunset, leaving Flash for last.

"Flash," she said, simply giving him a pat on the shoulder, much to his confusion and disappointment.

"What am I, chopped liver?" he asked, slightly annoyed at feeling like an afterthought.

"Is there still rough patches?" asked Scootaloo quietly.

"I guess that to her, there's only one Vincent," joked First Base. Scootaloo let out a soft chuckle at her twin's comment. Flash just glared at them with annoyance.

"Jokes aside," said First Base, "what have you been up to, Sunset?"

"Besides that gaming convention," said Sunset, "not really a whole lot."

"We've all been adjusting to new things," said Flash.

"How's it fared for you?" asked Sunset.

"Okay, I suppose," said Vincent. "It isn't easy adjusting."

"I know what you mean," admitted Sunset. "When father died, it really turned my life upside down."

"Even more so with Starlight and Trixie on your backs," Flash pointed out.

"True that..." Sunset sighed.

"But you've come a long way since then," said Vincent, putting a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder.

"I sure have," she smiled. "You guys are coming a long way too."

* * *

Harmony, Sunset and the Sentry family soon came to the dining room. Artemus, Sombra and Celestia were already there waiting for them.

"Hello, everyone," greeted Artemus. "And welcome to our domicile." The first person he laid eyes on was Vincent.

"A-are you Vincent van Colt Sentry?"

"Yes, I am," said Vincent.

"Well," said Artemus, standing up, "it's such an honor to meet you!" He chuckled as he shook Vincent's hand.

"S-same here," Vincent replied, laughing softly. Celestia was the next to greet him; she gave Vincent a big hug and even kissed him on the forehead, causing him to blush.

"Good to see you, Vincent," Celestia giggled in a motherly way.

"Th-thanks, Principal McCracken," said Vincent.

"You don't have to call me that," said Celestia. "Just Celestia is fine."

"Uh, very well... Celestia," said Vincent.

"Sounds like Vincent never fails at winning the ladies," teased Page.

"Mr. Turner, that's my mother you're talking about here," Sunset scolded.

"Oh, erm... sorry about that," said Page sheepishly.

"Hey, it's all in good humor," said Sombra. "I've even heard jokes on how easily Celestia wins the affections of younger men." Celestia blushed at the mention of that comment.

"It's honestly no surprise she never actually dated any of them," scoffed a voice. Everyone looked to see where the voice came from. It was a young man in his early twenties with long light amber hair and arctic blue eyes. He looked rather prim and proper, not to mention snooty.

"Blueblood..." Flash muttered under his breath.

"You know him?" asked Vincent.

"Yeah," said Flash. "I told you about him before, haven't I?"

"Oh yeah," said Vincent. "I must've forgot."

"Now, Vladimir," said another female voice - this time, it was Luna, "it's my sister's birthday, and we all expect you to be on your best behavior."

"Yes, aunt Luna," Blueblood replied, but he didn't really mean it.

* * *

Before long, the adults were chatting over current events over sparkling grape juice.

"I specifically insisted on non-alcoholic grape juice cause I knew kids were going to be here," explained Celestia.

"A good choice," said Page Turner. "The last thing we need is for everyone to be running about the place with lampshades on their heads, thinking they have super powers."

"Would make for hilarious videos on the internet, though," chuckled Artemus.

"What a ridiculous idea," chortled Harmony.

"Isn't the world filled with enough imbeciles?" snorted Blueblood.

"That's, erm, kind of harsh, isn't it?" asked Vincent.

"Must be hard to face the truth, isn't it?" asked Blueblood.

"And just what are you implying?" demanded Flash.

"Take a good look, Sentry. You and your siblings are public embarrassments."

"How?" asked Vincent. "We live just like any other person would."

"Let's take Flash's temper tantrum as an example," said Blueblood, recounting how Flash had been acting after his fallout with Vincent.

"I didn't know what I was thinking back then!" protested Flash. "I've since moved on from it."

"Even the fact that it was your stubborn nature that led to your mother's demise?"

"Don't you _dare_ fling mud on my mother's grave!" snapped Vincent.

"Vincent, don't," Sunset whispered. Vincent simmered back into his chair and scowled bitterly at Blueblood. The snobbish young man, meanwhile, thinking he could get away with whatever he wanted, decided to kick things up a notch.

"I suppose we could change the topic then," he suggested.

"Good idea," said Flash. "As long as it's got nothing to do with our family..."

"Aunt Celestia," Blueblood went on, "what the devil possessed you into adopting this peasant into the Faust family and tainting its reputation?"

"Peasant?!" Vincent snapped, suddenly standing up. "I'll let you know that Sunset Shimmer is the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on."

"Compared to the other ordinary girls you've come across, perhaps," snorted Blueblood. "If you ask me, she would have been better off in an orphanage or something, instead of tainting our bloodlines."

"Shut up, Blueblood!" snarled Vincent, slamming his fist on the table. "You shut your mouth right now or I'm gonna come over there and _make_ you shut up!"

"Vladimir, that is enough!" scolded Celestia, interrupting the fight.

"You were told to be on your best behavior for this event, but you deliberately disobeyed us!" added Luna angrily. "Are you purposely trying to ruin Celestia's birthday?"

Vincent sat back down again whilst Celestia and Luna continued to scold Blueblood; he felt certain he'd let his principal and vice-principal down.

"We would prefer it if you left the room to avoid anymore disruptions," Celestia said firmly, pointing to the doorway to the next room. Blueblood reluctantly obeyed, and left the room in a sulk.

"I'm so sorry for losing my temper like that," said Vincent. "I didn't know what came over me..."

"You've nothing to apologize for," insisted Celestia. "We're the ones who should apologize for inviting Vladimir here."

"Then why was he invited in the first place?" asked Flash.

"I'd hoped that a few years in military school would have improved his behavior," explained Celestia. "Turned out I was wrong."

"He is no longer welcomed in this family," Luna added.

"Probably something that nobody would want on their birthday," Flash noted.

With Blueblood taken out of the picture, the rest of the party carried on to a huge success from the dinner, to the presents, and even Celestia's favorite part; the cake.

"Guess she'll be needing those new pants I bought her before the evening's out," teased Luna, poking Celestia's rear.

"This again?" Celestia sighed. "I'd have thought after twenty years you'd stop with those jokes. Besides, your own rear's about the same size as mine now." Luna blushed sheepishly; this caused everyone else to chuckle.

"Doesn't sound so funny when the joke's aimed at you now, does it?" teased Celestia.

* * *

Eventually, the party was over, and the guests were making their ways home.

"Thank you again for inviting us," said Page. "Erm, besides the disaster with Blueblood."

"Oh, it was our pleasure," said Celestia. "And apart from Blueblood, everything turned out lovely."

"Rest assured," added Luna, "Blueblood will not be taking part in anymore family get togethers anytime soon."

"Thank goodness for that," muttered Sunset.

"There, there, love," comforted Vincent, giving Sunset a hug. This made Sunset calm down.

"Thanks, Vinnie," she said. "See you tomorrow."

"See you," said Vincent. With that, the Sentries made their ways home.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Originally, Sunset was going to yell at Blueblood after he insulted Vincent. The roles ended up becoming reversed.**


	18. H&V4 - Living in the Material World

Oh yeah, this thing... again. It was an extremely difficult chapter to write up.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 4 - Living in the Material World (Harrison, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, Rachel/TobyandMavisforever, and Mike Nicholson**

Despite the comfort she received from Vincent, poor Sunset was still feeling hurt after Blueblood called her a peasant.

"Who does he think he is?" she muttered to herself. "I hope that pompous imbecile gets exactly what he deserves."

Suddenly, she heard knocking on her door.

"Is that you, mom?" asked Sunset.

"Yes, dear," said Celestia. "Could I come in?"

"Sure." The door opened and Celestia came into the room.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Kind of," said Sunset.

"You're not still upset with what Blueblood said, are you?"

"I am," Sunset sighed, looking down at her feet. "You don't think I'm an embarrassment to the family, do you? Because I was adopted and come from a family that isn't wealthy?"

"Of course not, Sunset," said Celestia. "I'm proud that you came into this family's life."

"And I'm proud to have you as my mother," smiled Sunset. With that said, the two embraced in a hug.

"Ever since my father died," Sunset said, "I'd also been needing a father figure."

"You mean like Sombra?" asked Celestia.

"Yeah," said Sunset. "Like him. In a way, he almost reminds me of Vincent."

"How so?"

"Well, do you remember when Vincent helped me overcome my demons?" asked Sunset.

"Yes," said Celestia.

"Well, Sombra also assisted when he went with me to visit my father's grave..."

* * *

 **OCTOBER 4, 2013**

It had barely been three weeks since Sombra and Celestia had reunited after being separated for sixteen years. Sunset Shimmer had gone down to the cemetery to visit her father's grave. That Friday marked the sixth anniversary of Noble Shield's murder at the hands of Icy Heart.

"Hi, dad," said Sunset. She was sitting in front of where Noble Shield had been buried. "I'm sorry if I don't get to visit you that often. I've been kept rather busy lately with other things." She then went on about all the events that had taken place since the funeral. After she had finished, Sunset was quiet for a minute before speaking up again.

"I wish you were there for me when I was being bullied at school," she said. "If mom hadn't murdered you, perhaps I could've been happier. But at least she got what she deserved and is now rotting behind bars where she belongs."

"I highly agree," came a voice. Sunset looked up from where she sat and saw Sombra approaching. It would seem he had heard everything.

"Do forgive me," he said. "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"No, you're fine," said Sunset. "I was wondering why you're here."

"I just wanted to see if you were alright," said Sombra. "Celestia mentioned that you'd been very quiet since I first came home."

"Yeah, about that," said Sunset, thinking about what she was going to say. "I've spent the last three weeks doing some thinking."

"What about?" asked Sombra.

"Having a new father in my life... well, it reminds me a bit of happier times before my father was murdered. Sometimes, I wonder how much different my life would be if dad was still alive. Maybe I never would have allowed myself to be bullied by Starlight and Trixie, which eventually turned me into a bully as well."

"But where would that leave me and Celestia?" asked Sombra.

"I... hadn't thought of that," Sunset admitted. "Perhaps me and Vincent wouldn't be as close either..."

"Exactly," said Sombra. "Even though sometimes we face tragedies, something good comes out of them."

"I suppose you're right," said Sunset. "I'm sorry if I took that for granted."

"It's okay, Sunset," smiled Sombra. He then pulled his foster daughter in for a hug, which she returned.

"Let's head on home before the weather turns," suggested Sombra.

"Is it gonna rain hard tonight?" asked Sunset.

"No, but it will get colder," said Sombra. Without another word, they left the cemetery and headed for home.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 22, 2014**

"My talk with Sombra... er, _dad_ made me learn to appreciate what I had been given despite what I'd lost," said Sunset. "Had Noble Shield never been killed, true, I never would have ended up being bullied as bad, but Vincent and I never would have bonded so closely."

"I'm glad he was able to help you see a positive spin on a bad moment," said Celestia.

"He must've rubbed off on you, I bet," Sunset giggled.

"You could say that," said Celestia. "I guess that's the thing with lovers; they pick up traits from one another." _Another reason for Sunset being a blessing is Solar Crystal,_ she thought to herself. _If Sunset had never come into our lives, she never would have let go of her resentment towards Sombra..._

* * *

 **JANUARY 12, 2014**

Sunset had spent the previous day trying to calm down from her mental breakdown she'd had at Sweet Apple Acres. This morning, she was feeling a little better.

"Well," she said to herself, "time to start the new day. And this time, try not to go berserk." Once she'd gotten showered and dressed, she went down to get herself some breakfast. Celestia, Sombra, and their daughter Solar Crystal were already there.

Solar Crystal was fifteen years old with cobalt blue hair with dark pink streaks and violet eyes. Although brooding and moody at times, she does have a good heart. Like her mother, she was rather tall and shared the same backside issues. Though unlike her mother, Solar was more accepting of this and would sometimes use her looks as a means of attracting cute boys.

Ever since Sombra came back into the family's life, Solar had been rather resentful towards him due to the fact that he had left Celestia when she was pregnant with her, despite being told _why_ he left. Not even Celestia could convince the stubborn girl to let it go. It seemed that no matter how hard they argued their side of the story, she always made something up to justify her own.

"Morning, everyone," greeted Sunset.

"Good morning, dear," said Celestia.

"Morning, kiddo," greeted Sombra.

"Morning," said Solar Crystal. Sunset could see that instead of sitting at the kitchen table with Celestia and Sombra, Solar had seated herself near the living room away from them.

"So... she still doesn't trust you?" asked Sunset to Sombra.

"I'm afraid not," sighed Sombra. "Maybe she'd be happier if I'd never came back at all..."

"Don't say that!" cried Celestia, tears forming in her eyes. "I spent sixteen years hoping for you to come back one day!"

"Besides," added Sunset, "why should you let what Solar Crystal thinks of you get you down? It's not your fault she's a brat."

"Sunset, I don't think you should've-"

"What did you call me?!" snapped Solar Crystal.

"I said you're a brat," said Sunset, turning to face Solar Crystal. "An ungrateful, selfish, spoiled rotten brat!"

"What would you know?" snapped Solar Crystal. "You're not even a true member of this family!"

"That may be," argued Sunset, "but at least I'm actually **thankful** to be part of it!"

"Why should I be thankful to have a father that didn't have the guts to be there for me or mom when she was pregnant?" argued Solar.

"He had no choice!" protested Sunset, clearing getting closer to losing her temper. "Had he stayed, it would have put both you and mom in danger of being killed, and I would have probably never have bonded so well with Vincent! Is that what you want to have happened?"

"W-well..." Solar Crystal stuttered. "...i-it's the principle of the thing!"

Sunset could tell she was beginning to crack through to something because her argument was making Solar Crystal nervous.

"Just what is it that you want me to say?" asked Solar finally.

"I want you to admit what this resentment is _really_ about," Sunset said firmly. "You're actually just a narcissist and a contrarian who's butt is even bigger than her overly inflated ego. And being resentful towards your dad, despite the fact he practically saved you and mom from being killed, has nothing to do with him leaving! It's about setting yourself apart in order to feel superior to the rest of the world!" Solar Crystal was now looking more nervous than ever. Before anymore could be said, Celestia interrupted.

"Now that's enough out of both of you!" she said. Both girls turned to face their mother, a stern expression on her face.

"Sunset Shimmer," scolded Celestia, "I understand that you're still rather on edge from your mental breakdown today, but I am still disappointed in you. You know better than to lash out at family members like that."

"Sorry, mom," sighed Sunset. Solar Crystal quietly smirked before Celestia cast a stern glance at her.

"As for _you_ ," Celestia continued, "you've been worse! You _started_ this argument! Sunset is quite right. It was too dangerous for your father to stay with me during my pregnancy with you. Had he stayed, it would have put me at risk of being killed by mobsters, and that means you never would have been born as well. He left to protect us from harm, yet you continue to spite him in a foolish attempt to feel special? I am ashamed of you, Solar Crystal."

Solar was in too much shock to say anything. Instead, she left to room to do some thinking.

"Think she'll actually apologize now?" asked Sunset.

"We can only wait and see," said Celestia. "By the way, how did you figure out she had a superiority complex?"

"Just a hunch," Sunset shrugged.

* * *

It was about an hour later when Solar Crystal came out of her room.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"How are you feeling?" asked Sombra.

"A little better. Dad?"

"Wh-what is it, Solar?" Sombra was surprised that his birth daughter had referred to him as "dad".

"I... I'm sorry that I've been such a jerk to you," Solar said. "It's just that with it just being mom and mostly Sunset, people were showing sympathy towards me. Kids were inviting me to parties after school, and letting me hang out with them. I guess I ended up letting the attention cloud my better judgement."

Sombra just smiled. "I forgive you," he said. This made Solar Crystal feel even better. She then embraced her father in a hug. For the first time since he came back home, Sombra truly felt happy and at peace.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 22, 2014**

Meanwhile, the Sentry family had returned back home from the party. At the moment, Vincent was in his room reading some books. He was deep in his thoughts whilst reading.

"Cindy's done quite a bit to fit in since we lost mom," he said to himself. Vincent's mind also wondered to the young twins, First Base and Scootaloo. Like with him, their birth father upped and left while Cindy was pregnant. But, while Vincent and Flash had been lucky to have Page Turner, the twins didn't have a stepdad to fill in the position of of a father. He then began to think about their father, Flame Barrier.

"That dirty rat," he scowled. "Abandoning me, Scootaloo, and First Base before we were even born. To be fair, it's not their fault; that was something they couldn't help, but still."

"Something on your mind, bro?"

It was Flash. He'd noticed his brother reading and figured something else was up.

"Just deep in thought is all," said Vincent.

"What about?"

"About how Flame Barrier left us and never wanted to understand either of us." Vincent said that with a hint of venom in his voice.

"Still upset over that?" asked Flash.

"Yeah," said Vincent. "Did you have any good memories of him?"

"Erm... I'm afraid I don't remember much," Flash admitted. "I was only a baby when he left home. It's as if he didn't care about me."

"I see," said Vincent. "We're better off without him. It's bad enough he abandoned both families, but he even killed our mom. Speaking of," he added, a question now in his mind, "do you think she wanted to tell us about him when we were old enough?"

"Hard to tell," said Flash. "She might have intended something like that. It was on the drive home before she was... was..." Flash said no more as he remembered that tragic night.

"I know," said Vincent, putting an arm around him. "I miss her too." Both were silent before he spoke up again. "What do you think about Cindy being our stepmother?"

"She's alright, I suppose," said Flash. "But she can't replace mom."

" _Nobody_ can replace her," Vincent agreed.

"Say, wanna play some _Mortal Kombat_?" asked Flash.

"You're on!" grinned Vincent. With that said, the two brothers got their game faces on, and prepared themselves for rounds of _Mortal Kombat_.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Sunset telling Solar Crystal off is based on a scene from the _Robot Chicken_ sketch _Cows Taking Over_.**


	19. H&V5 - Remember

Here's a chapter revealing a bit of Sombra's backstory; specifically, where he went to after leaving Rainbow Falls to protect his family.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 5 - Remember (Lennon, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 ** _Sombra's Point of View_**

It was on my last night with Celestia, sixteen years ago. Earlier that evening, I had confronted my awful father about hurting innocent people; people who had done nothing to deserve being attacked. He told me they meant nothing, which sickened me. Why I was even his flesh and blood, I'll never know. I was nothing like him. The last thing I told him was that I'd be going somewhere he would never find me.

But would I actually think of doing it?

I loved my wife, and I was looking forward to being a father; the doctor said that they would be due some time next year; around late January at the earliest, early February at the latest. About seven or eight months away. If I stayed during that time, it would feel almost like eight _years_ , especially if my father kept crippling innocent people or, worse, _killed_ them. If any of those victims happened to be my wife's family...

I just couldn't bare putting my wife or her family through any of that suffering. I could barely sleep that night. In bed, I looked over at Celestia, fast asleep and peaceful. She was like a radiant goddess. The thought of what I had to do in order to keep her safe tore at my heart.

Taking a lit candlestick, so as not to risk waking Celestia up, I went downstairs to the den and began to write a letter.

" _My sweet Celestia, by the time you read this letter, you will notice that I have gone. I had to leave in order to avoid my father. I do not know where I will be going, and I don't know when I'll be back. But I never want you to blame yourself for this. And I will always love you._

 _Love, Sombra._ "

Once I'd gotten my thoughts down on paper, I folded the letter so it could fit in the envelope. After it was sealed up, I wrote her name on it and put it on the kitchen table. I then began to pack some of my belongings in a couple of bags. As soon as all was ready, I made my way to the door.

"Goodbye, darling Celestia," I whispered with a tear in my eye. "I'll miss you..." I quietly opened the door and then closed it behind me, making sure to lock it as I did so.

As I walked down the dark, quiet streets of Rainbows Falls, save for the odd passing car, there was the lingering question on my mind; where could I go next?

"Vancouver's a long way away," I finally decided. "I'm sure I can find a house to live there." So off I headed to the train station.

Thankfully, there weren't many passengers around. Most likely those coming home from late night shifts at work to get a good night's sleep.

"One ticket to Vancouver," I said to the conductor.

"That'll be $67, sir," she replied. I got out my wallet to get some bills out and paid for ticket. With it firmly in hand, I went to wait.

 _Goodness, these tickets are expensive,_ I thought to myself. _Train travel's not very cheap these days._

After waiting a couple of minutes (though it felt like an eternity to me), the train pulled up and I hopped into the first car, glancing back at the station one last time.

"Goodbye for now, Rainbow Falls," I said quietly. "I'm leaving, but I'll never let you down..." With a blast from the train's horn, it took off into the long, lifeless night. I was feeling exhausted from the lack of sleep, and so I closed my eyes and drifted off...

* * *

 _I found myself in the local park at Rainbow Falls. The scent of pine and fresh flowers filled the air, as well as the sound of the gentle stream._

 _The warm sun shone down on me and then, I looked over. Celestia was there, with a baby in a stroller. The baby in question was crying in fear. This had to be our child; why was she crying?_

 _"I know, darling, I know," Celestia whispered soothingly to her daughter. "Daddy will be back one day... I just wish I knew when..." Was I seeing a vision of the future, one that I'm not part of?_

 _"I promise you," Celestia went on, "I will be here for you." She then had a wave of doubt. "I just... don't know how I can manage being a single mother..." I felt a lump in my throat._

 _"I'm sorry, daughter!" I called. "I want to be there, but my dad is so..." I couldn't think of anything to say that would be appropriate, but that didn't matter. My words were carried along through the air unheard. It almost felt as if I was... invisible. A spirit. Would I never get to meet my daughter or see my beloved Celestia again? Would I die before that happens?_

 _Then, all of a sudden, another guy came in out of nowhere and looked over at Celestia and our daughter concerned._

 _"Is something wrong, miss?" he asked._

 _"Is there ever," Celestia sighed. "My husband's gone. I don't know when he'll be back..."_

 _"What if he may never come home to you?" asked the mysterious man. "Perhaps it may be possible that... he's dead?"_

 _"I... never really considered that," Celestia chocked on her words. "But it does sound highly possible." Me? Dead? How did that happen? Is that why they can't hear me, let alone see me?_

 _Just then, our daughter raised her hand up to try and wave to the man. I almost felt my heart break right there; it was like she saw him - whoever he was - as the father, and not me._

 _"Celestia!" I called again. "I'm right here. Can't you see me?!" But again, I got no response from her or the man. Instead, Celestia took the baby from the pram and held her near this man. That only made her smile more, and the baby grabbed his hand playfully._

 _"I think she wants you to be her daddy," Celestia chuckled. No! Oh, please, God, no! This can't be happening! This can't!_

 _"Well, how can I say no to that little face?" smiled the other man. "I'd love to help raise her."_

 _I was close to tears now; my life was being taken away from me, and I could do nothing to stop this from happening. The sky began to darken with clouds looming ahead. I cried out to Celestia again, but she, the man and the baby just faded away into the distance. I couldn't run after them, as if my legs were unable to move._

* * *

"Next stop, Vancouver!"

With a start, I woke up from the tragic nightmare. I looked around me; I was still on the train in my seat. I sighed with relief; it was just a bad dream. Nothing more. At least, I was _sure_ it was just a dream.

The train finally pulled up to a halt and I stepped off. It seemed to be around 8:00, maybe 8:05 in the morning. I don't know; I had no idea how long I was asleep for.

"Well," I said, "here I am." My next goal was to find a house to live in, maybe an apartment. Just anywhere would do, honestly. I had no idea how long I'd be escaping my father. Could be as short as to the start of the new millennium, or it could be until he gives up, gets arrested or passes away, whichever came first.

I started to head toward town, when I smelled something very tasty coming from a nearby market stall.

"Is that... pear jam?" I said to myself, and my stomach growled. "Might as well have breakfast," I said as I headed over to the stall. There was a man running the stall, and he had a lot of pear based products; pear jam, pear juice, pear cakes, you name it. He had a vague resemblance to William Shatner and looked to be in his early to mid-fifties, judging by the gray in his hair, two-toned moderate orange in color.

"Hello there," he said politely. "Are you new here?"

"Yeah, I am," I replied. "Just turned up today. I'm Sombra, by the way"

"My name's Kirk Pear," he said with a smile. "Welcome to Vancouver. What can I get ya?"

"I fancy a bit of pear jam," I said.

"Of course." Kirk got out a jar of the jam. "Do you want some pancakes to go with that?"

"Sure," I said. "Three, please." Kirk got out three freshly cooked pancakes and put them on a plate.

"Enjoy," he said.

"Thanks," I replied. "How much do I owe you?"

"$5.49."

"There you go," I said, paying up the money. Kirk looked at it with a puzzled expression.

"Oh, uh... something wrong?" I asked.

"It's American money," Kirk said.

"Oh, I see," said Sombra. "I'm sorry; I didn't know about the exchange rates."

"Ah, I understand," Kirk nodded kindly. "Don't worry." He gave the money back. "You keep your food this time, free of charge. There's a money exchange rate down that way."

"Alright, thanks," I replied. The two of us waved goodbye to each other and I headed toward the money exchange. I won't go into detail about the money exchange rate, because, well... it can be tedious to some people. But anyway, after I got the right money, I started to wonder about where I could get a job. I mean, I would most likely be here for a long time.

"It'll be hard to find one while I'm here," I said to myself, but then I bumped into someone with moderate tangelo hair and brilliant orange eyes.

"Sorry about that," I said quickly. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's okay," she replied. "I was distracted myself. Hey, are you new around here?"

"Yes, I am," I said. "Just got here today, actually."

"My name is Cinnamon Pear," she smiled, and we shook hands. "What's you name?" For a moment, I considered using a fake name, but I chose against it.

"Er... Sombra," I said shyly.

"Oh, now I remember. Uncle Kirk told me about you."

"He has?"

Cinnamon Pear nodded. "Since this is your first day in town, I guess you're looking for a job and place to stay?"

"I am," I replied. "Just not sure where to go next."

"Well, the Pear Farm is down a farmhand since one of our own decided to live at Rainbow Falls," Cinnamon Pear explained. "And we do have a spare room too."

"I see," I said. "I may have to speak with Kirk about that."

"Of course. You can come by our farm later." She then handed me the address to where it was.

"Thank you, Cinnamon Pear," I said kindly. "What time do you want me to be there?"

"3:30 would be fine," replied Cinnamon Pear.

* * *

So, I was down at the Pear Farm at 3:30 on the dot and knocked on the door. I waited for a few moments before someone answered the door. The person in question had brilliant gold hair and moderate harlequin eyes.

"Hey there; Sombra, right?"

"That's me," I confirmed.

"Name's Shiny Pear," he said. "Come on in." I followed him into house and to the living where several members of his family were waiting.

"Ah, Sombra," greeted Kirk. "Cinnamon told me you wanted a job and place to stay."

"I have indeed," I said.

"Well, we'd be more than happy to have you helping us around the farm," Kirk replied. "I do have another room for where my daughter was supposed to stay, but, she decided not to come with us."

I was stunned. His _daughter_ of all family members chose to live somewhere else?

"This won't be a problem, right?" I asked. I was wondering why Kirk's daughter didn't go with them, but I decided not to bring that up... just in case.

"Not at all," said Kirk. "We'll teach you how to run things down here."

The Pear family were very pleasant and welcoming of me, and Shiny Pear showed me the spare room.

"Sorry it's a bit plain," he said, "but it should do the job."

"It's okay," I said. "It's still better than sleeping under a stone bridge by the river."

Shiny Pear chuckled. "I'll let you get settled. I'll be out doing some chores if you need me."

"Right." I took the clothes and other belongings out of my suitcases. Among them were essentials like a hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, that sort of thing. But one item in particular was a photo I had of Celestia and myself. It was of the last time we went out to a restaurant together. I knew I was going to place it on my new drawers, to remind me and give me a sense of optimism I might still have left.

"Celestia," I whispered, "I promise you, I will return to you and our child, no matter how long it takes."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Grand Pear's name Kirk is a reference to William Shatner's famous role as Captain Kirk in _Star Trek_.**

 **In the actual show, the Pears moved to Van Hoover. Here, it's Vancouver, Canada, where one of five DHX Studios is based.**

 **Cinnamon Pear and Shiny Pear are based off of background members of the Pear family.**


	20. H&V6 - Not Guilty

I think we're doing something different here; for every three chapters I have finished, two will be posted here. Chapter eight is written up, but it will be posted as soon as chapter ten is finished.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 6 - Not Guilty (Harrison, 1979)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 ** _Starlight Glimmer's Point of View_**

"Starlight," called Aunt Abacus. "Sunburst is here to play."

Eagerly, I raced to the door where Sunburst was, his cornflower blue eyes shining with excitement.

"Starlight!" he grinned. "Are you ready to play _Dragon Pit_?"

"You know me too well!" The two of us rushed to my room. I chose the green dragon, while Sunburst chose the red one.

"One, two, three, four, five," Sunburst moved his player across the required squares.

"Uh oh," I said with a playful wink. "Looks like someone's dragon's going to get trapped."

"I'm not going to tip the board over this time," Sunburst retorted. But at that moment, the volcano shot out the ball and it hit Sunburst's dragon, causing it to fall into the pit. As I expected, Sunburst laughed so hard, his hand went out of control and the board flipped over.

"Sunny, that never gets old!" Indeed it didn't. I always thought that was adorable.

"Whoops..." Sunburst looked embarrassed and blushed. "Guess we'd better start again."

Sunburst and I could have gone on like that forever. But... one tragic day, when I was in fifth grade and he in sixth, the two of us were playing ball at the park.

"Catch, Sunburst!" I called, throwing the ball toward him, but the ball went too far, and it rolled onto the road. "Oh... whoops, sorry."

"I'll get it!" Sunburst replied. Before his mother could react, Sunburst took off to the road.

"Sunburst!" cried Mrs. Flare, taking off after their son. "Come back here this instant! It's dangerous!" But Sunburst had already grabbed the ball and thrown it back over to the grass.

"Coming back!" Sunburst started to race, but before he could get to the other side, a car came out of left field.

"Oh no!" I shouted. "Sunny, get back!"

It was too late. With a horrifying crunch, Sunburst was hit.

"SUNBURST!" I wailed; my aunt was already dialing an ambulance. "No, please..."

I was hoping this was all just a dream and that Sunburst would actually make it, but that was wishful thinking. I didn't want to accept it, but Sunburst died in the hospital from his injuries. His mother was so distraught by his death that a few days later, she died of a broken heart. I can't say I recall much else about the traumatic experience. All I could think about was poor Sunburst, the one person outside of my family I could trust, laying motionless on the hospital bed.

When I went to school on Monday, there was a funeral for Sunburst.

"He was a caring friend," Limestone Pie said quietly to me during the service. "Always seemed to know what to say to make someone feel better."

* * *

Some time later, summer school had barely begun, and I was still thinking about Sunburst. He had been signed up for Canterlot Middle like I was, and now he'd never see what it would be like.

 _What would our lives have been like,_ I thought, _had you continued living?_ I shook my head sadly.

"Hey there, miss," said a voice, and I glanced over. It was a boy that seemed to be a couple of grades above me.

"Oh, hello," I replied despondently.

"Is something the matter?" There seemed to be a subtle sneer in his voice, but for whatever reason, I was too upset to take much notice.

"I lost my best friend to a drunk driver," I said.

"Life can be cruel like that," said the boy. "One minute you're on top of the world, but the next, things come crumbling down to nothing."

"Does it really happen like that?" I asked. "Is there any way to get yourself back on top again?"

"If there was a way, that would have to be a borderline miracle," said the guy. "My life started to go downhill when my twin siblings and even younger sister were born. My parents never really gave me much attention after that!"

"So what'd you do?"

"I had to work against them to get any attention from my parents," he went on. "Steal snacks from the cupboard so they won't get any, sneak off when they weren't looking, throw tantrums at family gatherings... stuff like that." I couldn't believe a word he said.

"A-all th-that," I stuttered, "just to get your parents to pay attention?" He just nodded and smirked. But I was an only child, and my aunt gave me all the attention I needed... could this person be implying I need to do that to get the teachers' attention?

* * *

About a week or so into middle school (some time after I met Trixie), the teacher was looking at our homework. One particular student caught her eye.

"My goodness!" she smiled. "I see someone's been really into their homework this time around." I wondered to myself who that specific student was. The answer came very quickly because the teacher quickly wrote her name on a "student of the week award."

"Rarity Belle, you have really pushed yourself this time around. I'm very proud of you." I had to admit, Rarity's homework did look impressive. But, I worked hard on my homework too. Why did _she_ get the award and I did not? Goodness forbid what Aunt Abacus would think if I had gotten beaten by another...

But then I remembered what the boy from summer school told me... _Right,_ I thought. _I must get the teacher's attention if I want to be noticed at all._ I had a straw on hand, but what could I do with it? Of course... without thinking twice, I put spitwads into the straw and shot them at Rarity and the teacher. I quickly hid the straw just after shooting the second. Rarity let out a shriek as the spitwards hit her.

"Who would dare to do something like that?!" she cried.

"I don't know," said the teacher, "but whoever did that will get a timeout!" I kept a straight face as if nothing had happened.

"Well," said the teacher, "come on now. Be honest with me here. If no one owns up, you all stay in for five minutes on break. Well... except for Rarity since she couldn't have done that." So far, nobody spoke. But I had a feeling that I would eventually be found out.

"Starlight Glimmer!" cried the teacher, glaring at me. "You did it." I was.

"Did I?" I asked innocently.

"Don't give me that fake innocent tone," growled the teacher. "You go to the back of the room for a timeout."

 _I'm not a little kid, you know,_ I thought bitterly as I went to where the teacher pointed. The rest of the class went on as per normal, with Rarity being happier than ever for the remainder of the day. If anyone bothered to look at my expression, they'd see a giant scowl directed at Rarity. And that was when my downfall _really_ started.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2014**

And now, here I am, heading back to school after winter break. I honestly wish I wasn't going to Canterlot High right now, mostly because of those who ruined me last year. Trixie had left me for that... Cherry Crush girl, as well as befriend the likes of Sandbar. What did she see in those two anyway?

Before class started, the students were chatting to each other in the hallways and catching up on what happened in the holidays and whatnot. I spotted Trixie and Cherry Crash talking with Song Cue, Orange Sherbet and Comet Tail.

"We had such fun ice-skating with you guys," said Cherry Crash. "Even though I did almost fall at one corner of the rink."

"I know," said Song Cue. "I was sure I'd slip, but I actually did pretty decent. Same with you, Orange."

"I guess it's a twin thing," chuckled Orange. A twin thing. That was what he said; something about that line seemed familiar to me.

" _My life started to go downhill when my twin siblings and even younger sister were born..._ "

Of course! How did I not realize that? It was Song Cue and Orange Sherbet's brother that made me who I was!

"Hey, you two!" I snapped.

"Oh, great..." muttered Trixie. "It's the toxic and manipulative Starlight Glimmer." (She rolled the "li" part of my surname, like she would rolling the "R" in hers.) "What's she doing here?"

"I'd like a personal chat with the twins here, if you don't mind," I said simply.

"What's the point in that?" retorted Comet Tail. "You'd just be wastin' valuable breath there."

"Way to ruin our pleasant conversation, Starlight," snarked Orange Sherbet. "It better not be anything to taunt us because that will just fly over our heads."

"That's not what I'm here for," I retorted. "It's cause I've dug up some dirt on you."

"I don't see any," said Comet. "They look clean to me."

"Not that dirt, you idiot!" I retorted.

"Hey, watch your mouth there, Starlight," Song Cue growled. I jumped back a little. I'll give her credit where it's due; Song Cue _did_ have a very protective streak around her boyfriend. After the shock worse off, I smirked again.

"Well, Trixie, Comet, Cherry, did you three know that Song Cue and Orange Sherbet had two other siblings?"

"We know of Heartsong," said Cherry Crash, "and from what I've been told, she's a sweet girl."

"I didn't hear anything about a fourth sibling," Trixie said quietly, though she said it loud enough that I heard it.

However, the conversation about siblings had struck a nerve within Song Cue and Orange Sherbet, and Comet Tail held a dark glare at me.

"They have an older brother!" I declared. "That older brother told me to do anything to get the attention of the teachers, like how he did the same with his parents after his twin siblings and younger sister were born."

"Rocky Ripple..." I heard Song Cue whisper hoarsely. Tears almost welled up in her eyes whilst Orange held her close in comfort.

 _So_ that _was his name,_ I realized. Though I didn't have much time to think about it because Rainbow Dash was approaching down the corridor.

"What's happened?!" she cried in concern upon seeing her friend sobbing.

"Ask Starlight," said Orange, giving me a death glare.

"Starlight, what did you say to upset my friend?!" Rainbow Dash hissed.

"I merely told them who it was that inspired me to do my deeds," I said simply. "Who would have known that person would have been related to one of the most well-behaved girls in town?"

"Well, guess what, Glimmer?!" Rainbow Dash seemed to push me against the wall. "I actually _knew_ about Rocky Ripple from the very start, but I didn't let that effect my friendship with Song Cue, Orange Sherbet or Heartsong! Just like how you _shouldn't_ have let Rocky Ripple's words get to your head!"

"You mean like how you never let people's teasing about you and your boyfriend get to _you_... Rainbow _Crash_?"

"Don't put me off-topic, Glimmer!"

By now, the two of us got into a fight, and while trying to stand my ground, I also saw Comet Tail hugging Song Cue. He seemed to be whispering something to her, words I couldn't quite hear. Whatever they were, she seemed to be calming down. During our fight, Rainbow Dash had hit me in the nose, causing it to bleed a bit. Comet Tail flinched a bit, but didn't move from where he was. Our fight only ended when one of the teachers caught us in the act.

"You two!" he snapped. It was Mr. Doodle, looking very displeased. "Principal McCracken's office, now! The rest of you, class is about to start..." Cranky then looked at Song Cue with a concerned gaze. "Is there a problem, Miss Cue?"

"Starlight said something which really upset her," Cherry Crash pointed out. "Rainbow was only trying to defend her."

"Is this true?" Mr. Doodle asked Song Cue. She nodded and let out a muffled cry, while still clinging to Comet and Orange.

"Song Cue, how about you get some water while I let your teacher for first period know you're going to be late?"

"I'm in her first period, English," said Orange. "I'll pass the message."

"Think you'll be okay?" whispered Comet to Song Cue.

"Yes," she replied quietly, and I saw her kissing him lightly on the cheek. "Thank you, Comet."

* * *

"Starlight Glimmer and Rainbow Dash," said Principal McCracken firmly when we were seated, and passing a tissue to me for my bloody nose. "What do you two have to say for yourselves back there?"

"Rainbow Dash punched me," I sulked.

"Starlight hurt Song Cue's feelings first!" Rainbow retorted.

Principal McCracken paused and glanced at me. "What did you do?"

"Oh, I... I just... said Song Cue's singing was off-key during music period last year," I said, trying to keep a straight face.

"You didn't say such a thing," said Rainbow Dash. "If you had, Song Cue would've said so."

"Did you witness exactly what Starlight said, Rainbow?" asked Principal McCracken.

"Well... no, I hadn't," Rainbow Dash admitted.

"But did Song Cue or anyone else present say anything that gave you a clue as to what Starlight said?"

"Well, Orange Sherbet told me to ask Starlight what she said, and she revealed that Rocky Ripple manipulated her to get attention from various teachers in school."

"Rocky Ripple..." trailed Principal McCracken, as if she's heard of the person in question. I started to feel uncomfortable.

"Rocky Ripple was planning to come here after he graduated from Canterlot Middle," Principal McCracken went on, "but his parents decided to send him to military school instead. They hoped that sending their other children to Rainbow Falls Middle would lower tension for when they transitioned here."

"And it worked out alright... right?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"For the most part, it does seem to be the case," Principal McCracken said, giving a warm smile to Rainbow Dash. "That's in part thanks to a strong support system. However, when bullies get involved..." The principal shot a dark glare at me. I almost went pale; there was no getting out of this now.

"I am appalled at you, Starlight Glimmer!" she snapped. "Not only have you bullied my adopted daughter, you have also turned back on your promise and bullied one of my friend's daughters as well. If you aren't going to change your ways, I have no choice but to expel you from the school."

My eyes went wide; my whole world seemed to collapse around me for possibly the third time. First there was Sunburst's death, then there was being exposed in front of the school, and now I was being kicked out of the school. Could my life have gotten worse? I was so stunned I could barely speak. Rainbow Dash would've made a snarky comment against me, but decided against it.

"P-p-please, Principal McCraken..." I began, finally regaining my voice. "G-g-give me another chance!"

"After causing unacceptable trouble _twice_ , and lying about changing your ways, you are nothing but a bully. And I will _not_ tolerate bullying in _my_ school. Rainbow Dash," said Principal McCracken, "you may go to class now. Your teacher is made aware you'll be late."

Rainbow Dash left without a word, leaving me alone with the principal; I couldn't blame her for feeling a bit shaken, to be honest. All I had to do now, by my now ex-principal's orders, to stay in Vice-Principal Faust's office until my aunt Abacus would pick me. The vice-principal seemed to remain silent through this time, and only ever looked at me to make sure I wouldn't be walking off.

I didn't even think about trying escape, because I knew I was going to be in even bigger trouble than I already was.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Rachel: Song Cue mentioning how she did decently on her first time ice-skating ties back to when I went ice-skating for the first time and I didn't slip either.**


	21. H&V7 - Arrow Through Me

Here's chapter seven!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 7 - Arrow Through Me (McCartney, 1979)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Later in the day, Rainbow Dash was still feeling a bit tense following the fight with Starlight Glimmer. She sat down with Sunset, Fluttershy, Applejack, Pinkie, Vincent, Song Cue and Comet Tail during lunch.

"Ya'll right there, RD?" asked Applejack. "Ya look lak yer on edge."

"She got into a fight with Starlight," Comet explained to the others. "Not to mention she upset Song Cue by mentioning her brother."

"You mean Orange Sherbet?" asked Pinkie Pie. "But those two are like birds of a feather."

"Uh, not _that_ one, Pinkie," Fluttershy gulped, understanding the situation clearly.

"Rocky Ripple, isn't it?" asked Vincent. He'd hoped he hadn't offended Song Cue without meaning to.

Song Cue gave a nod. "That's the one..." she sighed.

"Ah remember when Song Cue, Fluttershy and Orange Sherbet first attended Rainbow Falls Middle," Applejack said. "They told me, Caramel, Maud and Mudbrair everythin'. Ah don't think ya were there yet, Pinkie."

"No, I wasn't," said Pinkie. "Marble and I didn't turn up for another year."

"That is understandable you wouldn't want to repeat the story after your first day," said Sunset. "Still, if I ever see Starlight, I'll knock her block off, _and then shove a textbook all the way up her-!_ "

"I don't think you should bother," Rainbow Dash interrupted.

"I guess you did beat her up enough this morning," Sunset admitted. "Though I'm surprised she's not tormenting us again. Where is she anyway?"

"Principal McCracken had her expelled," explained Rainbow Dash. "Good riddance; that's what I say."

"That's what James said in _The Deputation_ in regards to the spiteful brake van," Song Cue couldn't help but chuckle.

"Brake vans can get expelled from school?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"No, Pinkie," laughed Vincent. "We'll explain it some other time."

"Okey-dokey-lokey," Pinkie Pie chuckled. "So anyway, don't worry about that good for nothing bully, Song Cue. We have your back."

Song Cue was touched by her friends' words. Even though Pinkie had only just found out about her big brother bully, she wasn't letting that effect their friendship. And Rainbow may have attacked Starlight, but that was because she was so protective.

"Thank you, all of you," she whispered. "I love you guys so much." The friends all gathered around Song Cue, with Comet Tail and Fluttershy being the closest to her, and they all tightly hugged each other.

"So, on a more lighthearted note," said Rainbow Dash, "who did what on the school break?"

"Well, Vincent and I went to a gaming convention for Math Equation's birthday," said Sunset.

"Ooh, I hope he had a great birthday!" said Pinkie Pie. "What games did you play?"

"It was mostly video games we played there," said Vincent.

"I think she means which video games did we play," said Sunset.

"Oh yeah," said Vincent.

"So which ones were they?" asked Applejack.

"We played some of the classics like _Super Mario Brothers_ and _Pac-Man_ ," said Vincent, "as well as the more modern games like _Mortal Kombat_ and _Sonic Generations_."

"Oh yeah, that game's really fun," said Song Cue. "The cutscenes where Sonic saves his friends, especially with classic Sonic, can be really funny."

"Indeed," said Sunset.

"Song Cue and I went ice skating during the holidays," said Comet. "Orange Sherbet went too, and so did Cherry Crash and Trixie."

"You? Ice skating?" asked Vincent, amazed that Comet would try something like that. "No way!"

Comet blushed shyly. "Well, Song Cue was eager to try, so... heh."

"Well, go on then," said Rainbow Dash. "How'd it turn out?"

"Well, first I held onto Song Cue's and Trixie's hands, but later on, I was skating by myself."

"You did really well, Comet," Song Cue gently placed her hand on top of his. "I'm proud of you for giving it a try."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 16, 2014**

"Did you hear?" cried Song Cue excitedly to Orange Sherbet while they were at the shops with their mother Sweet Song. "The pond's all frozen over, and the ice is super thick."

"The pond's frozen over..." Sweet Song trailed. "Song Cue, are you thinking about ice skating?"

"I sure am, mom," she giggled. "We can both go, Orange Sherbet. What do you say?"

"It sounds like a lot of fun, Songs," her brother replied.

"Great!" The two high-fived each other, and at that moment, Shooting Star was walking toward them with Comet Tail in tow.

"Good morning, you two," said Shooting Star. "Mrs. Song."

"Hello, Shooting Star, Comet Tail," Sweet Song greeted. "The twins decided they want to go ice skating on the pond."

"Ice skating?" asked Comet. "It sounds rather tricky."

"It does indeed," said Song Cue, "but it sounds fun too. You just glide along the ice. I bet it feels like you're flying."

"Seems simple enough," said Comet.

"Do you want to come along with us, Comet?" asked Orange.

"Erm, sure," said Comet. "Nothing wrong with trying something new."

Shooting Star looked surprised by Comet accepting the offer.

"Who are you, and what have you done with Comet Tail?" he teased.

"I guess he knows Song Cue wants to try ice skating and wants to make her happy," smiled Sweet Song, causing her daughter to blush.

"I guess I do," said Comet. Little did the trio know, that Trixie (who was with her mother) had overheard the conversation (unintentionally this time), and was left in thought.

* * *

By the next day, Song Cue, Orange Sherbet and Comet Tail had bought ice skates and went to the frozen pond. Of course, they weren't the only ones who decided it was a good idea. Many others were out and about as well.

Among them, were Trixie and Cherry Crash. Comet and the twins were surprised to see Trixie hanging out with someone other than Starlight.

"What's she doing there?" asked Comet.

"You three aren't the only people in the world who wanted to go ice skating," said Sweet Song.

"Unless we're in Australia," said Orange.

"They have ice skating rinks Down Under," Song Cue pointed out.

"Oh yeah," said Orange. "Can't believe I forgot that."

"But, anyways, what I meant was... Trixie is not with Starlight, which is unusual."

"That's a good point there," Song Cue replied to her boyfriend. "What _did_ happen between the two, and why's Trixie here with Cherry Crash?"

"We're not going to find out if the five of us stand around here in the cold," said Shooting Star. The three teenagers walked over to the two girls.

"Oh, hello," greeted Cherry Crash. "It's Song Cue, Orange Sherbet and Comet Tail, right? I think I've seen the three of you around the school a few times."

"That we are," Comet confirmed.

"Uh, hello guys..." Trixie shifted uncomfortably on her feet.

"Why aren't you hanging around Starlight?" asked Song Cue, sounding a bit suspicious.

"I realized just how toxic Starlight was..." Trixie said quietly.

"When was that?" asked Comet.

"Sometime before the Valentine's Day Formal," sighed Trixie, and she explained all that happened with her newfound friendship in Sandbar and Cherry Crash.

"Well, idealistic friends are a trap people tend to fall into," Orange Sherbet commented after a pause. "Sometimes you don't realize it until it's far too late."

"That happened to me once," sighed Sweet Song. "And it does hurt. But once you're over it, you stop and think to yourself, 'I have no idea what I saw in that person'."

"I can't believe you fell into the wrong crowd like that," said Comet.

Trixie nodded. "But, I've got someone who's willing to give me a chance. And I couldn't be happier."

"Well, we're glad to hear that," said Song Cue.

"Say, do you want to skate with us? Or... would we be interrupting things?" Orange joked, seeing Trixie and Cherry holding hands.

"O-oh, no," said Cherry, blushing slightly. "I-it's no trouble at all." Within seconds, the five teenagers had skates on and headed onto the ice.

"I think I heard Pinkie say to put your hands out for balance," called Song Cue as she started to move her legs.

"You mean like having them all stretched out like a bird's wings?" asked Comet.

"Something like that, yes."

"Well, hope for the best," said Comet as he slowly began to stand.

"You're looking good, Comet," called Orange. He had his arms stretched too.

"Looking good, looking good," Comet said to himself. "Hopefully nothing goes wr- aaaaaagghh!"

Song Cue and Trixie grabbed his arms to save him from slipping.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" asked Song Cue.

"Yeah," said Comet. "Good thing the ice is thick or I'd have fallen through."

"Forget that last bit," Song Cue shuddered.

"Yeah, save the icy water for penguins," Trixie remarked.

"Agreed," said Orange. "You okay, C.T.?"

"Y-yes..." he stuttered. "Thanks to these two."

"Oh, it was nothing," said Trixie.

"Let's try taking it slow, Comet," said Song Cue. "Hang onto us for as long as you need to."

"Okay." Song Cue, Trixie and Comet started to step slowly, putting one foot in front of the other, while Orange and Cherry went to the sides.

"So what do I do now?" asked Comet.

"Try to maintain your balance," Trixie advised. "That's always a key thing when ice skating, at least, so I've been told from my mom."

"That would be difficult if I had just one leg and no arms," muttered Comet.

"Last time I checked, you have two of each," chuckled Song Cue.

"I know, I was bein' sarcastic there," replied Comet.

"Just messing with you a little," Song Cue giggled. "That's what girlfriends are for. Check the manual."

"So, Trixie, Cherry Crash," said Comet, "what have you two been up to so far this break? Outside of this, I mean."

"Oh, I went shopping with mom and I found this new treat, cinnamon nuts," said Trixie. "Have you ever tried them? They go really well with apples."

"I haven't," said Comet. "I probably should some time."

"We should recommend it to mom," said Orange to Song Cue.

"I did a bit of roller skating at the park with some friends like Mystery Mint," said Cherry Crash. "Of course, roller skating is a bit different as you're on wheels, not ice."

"I think I may try that at some point too," said Song Cue.

"Yeah, similar principle," said Orange, "except you have a higher range."

Just then, Comet glanced back and realized the group were in the middle of the pond.

"Wow, that's far," he said.

"Yeah, we've come a long way," said Cherry Crash.

"How are you feeling now, Comet?" asked Trixie.

"A bit nervous," admitted Comet, "but hopefully I'll be stable enough and skate gracefully."

"Okay," said Song Cue. "Trixie and I are going to let go slowly." So they did; Comet slowly moved forward on his own, and before he knew it, he was gliding along the ice without a care in the world.

"You look great, Comet," smiled Song Cue, catching up to him.

"Look at that!" he cried excitedly. "I'm ice skating!" Laughing, he took his girlfriend by the hand and pulled her along. Song Cue squealed with excitement as she followed, eventually laughing as well.

"Aww, cute!" called Cherry Crash. "How long have those two been dating?"

"A few years, actually," said Orange. "It was during Song Cue's first Fall Formal. Long story short, there were a few complications with them trying to go out with each other that night, but Thunderlane helped to make things work."

Speaking of which, Comet and Song Cue were having such fun that they both forgot to be careful. Before they knew it, both slipped out of control and into a nearby snowbank. Cherry Crash, Orange Sherbet and Trixie zipped forward.

"Sis, Comet?! Are you okay?"

Much to their surprise, both were laughing despite the incident.

"I got a little carried away there, didn't I?" chuckled Comet.

"Didn't we both?" giggled Song Cue; she was already starting to make a snow angel. Comet followed suit. Orange chuckled and took a picture.

"That's one for the album."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2014**

"Aww, I love the part where you make snow angels," smiled Fluttershy.

"Sounds lak ya'll had fun that day," said Applejack.

"Wait, hang on," said Sunset. "You tell us _Trixie_ was with you the whole time?"

"There's nothing wrong with that, is there?" asked Comet Tail.

"Well, this Trixie doesn't sound anything like the Trixie we know."

"To be fair, we hadn't really interacted with her in the past year," Vincent pointed out.

"Maybe you guys should try," said Comet. "She's really changed since she left Starlight."

"I figure we should," said Vincent. "What do you say, Sunset?" His girlfriend didn't seem sure at first, but based on what Comet and Song Cue had said, Sunset was willing to give their word the benefit of the doubt.

"Alright," she said. "We'll give her a chance. Where would Trixie be at after school?"

"Found her!" cried Pinkie, glancing to the back of the cafeteria. Trixie, Cherry Crash, Sandbar, Blossomforth and Orange Sherbet were eating together.

"That was quick," said Vincent.

"I have my ways."

"Well, that's Pinkie Pie for you," said Sunset as she stood up. She and Vincent walked over to the back table, and Orange was the first to look up.

"Oh, hey there, you two," he said. "What're you heading over there for?"

"Song Cue and Comet told us about the ice skating," said Sunset.

"So... we wanted to talk to Trixie to see if she's really changed," Vincent went on. The pale blue-haired girl looked anxious; even now, to her at least, Vincent and Sunset weren't keen on speaking with her, so it came as a surprise that they wanted to.

"It'll be alright," Sandbar said quietly.

"You sure?" asked Trixie.

"If you're on their good side, you've made friends for life," Blossomforth agreed.

"Okay." Trixie got up and walked over to Vincent and Sunset.

"Uh... hello..."

"It has been a while since we last spoke," said Sunset.

"I know, and... I'm really sorry for all I did to you guys..." Trixie almost whispered. "I get it if you won't forgive me; what I did was despicable..."

"Well..." said Sunset, "we _did_ hear about you helping Comet how to skate."

"Yeah," said Vincent. "It was a nice thing to do." Trixie gave a small smile.

"Maybe we can get a sandwich on Saturday to talk some more," Vincent suggested.

"That would be nice." But before Trixie could say anymore...

"Again with that blasted bell?!" muttered Blossomforth.

"It's always interrupting at the worst possible times," sighed Cherry Crash.

"Off to class, gang," said Sandbar, and everyone moved off. As Trixie walked off to her next class, she couldn't help but feel it would take a lot more effort and time to gain Vincent and Sunset's full trust.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **In the original draft, Trixie was going to help Sunset and Vincent expose Starlight's nature for causing trouble again under the school's collective nose. However, Starlight was expelled from Canterlot High in a different manner in chapter six, so a majority of chapter seven had to be remade from ground up.**

 **The qoute "That's what girlfriends are for; check the manual" Is a quote from an episode of** ** _The Saddle Club_** **,** ** _Greener Pastures Part 1_** **.**


	22. H&V8 - Snookeroo

Now we get into the second half of Heroes and Villains, starting off with a backstory to one of the series' most mentally unstable characters - Icy Heart!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 8 - Snookeroo (Starr, 1974)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **MAY 26, 1968**

The mother of the young one was very tried, and yet, she looked lovingly into her daughter's eyes. The newborn's eyes were cerulean blue in color, with hints of hair that was dark blue in color.

"The blue seems to be an icy color..." she commented to herself, just as her husband walked in.

"How's our child, darling?" he asked his wife.

"She's beautiful." The wife gestured toward the crib where the baby was laying. She cooed softly as she looked up at the man, wondering if this was her father.

"Yes, little one," said the man in a cooing tone. "I'm your daddy. Hello." As he was looking over his newborn daughter, the doctor came up to the new parents.

"How is the new family?" the doctor asked.

"We're doing all right," the mother replied.

"You have a wonderful little girl," the doctor smiled. "Have you decided on a name?"

"What should we call our daughter, dear?" the father asked his wife.

"Well, her hair and eyes seem to be a sort of icy blue, wouldn't you say?"

"Hmm... they do sort of look like it, dear."

"Maybe... Icy Heart," she decided. "Icy, for her blue hair and eyes, and Heart, for the love we share for her."

"I... can't say I've heard a name like that."

"Is something wrong with it?" asked the father.

"Well, I just... with a name like that, I thought that someone would be..." The doctor couldn't finish it, but shook his head. "You know what, it's your child; you can name her whatever you wish." He wrote down the name on the birth certificate.

"Thank you," the father said with a smile, and the doctor left the family to bond.

"Welcome to the world, Icy Heart," cooed her mother. "We're going to give you the best childhood ever."

* * *

 **JANUARY 30, 1975**

"Have a wonderful day at school, Icy Heart," her mother smiled, giving the blue haired girl a hug.

"Yeah, mom," Icy Heart replied with indifference. Her mother was taken aback.

"Something wrong, Icy Heart?" she asked.

"No. Nothing," the six-year-old replied almost flatly.

"If there is, please tell me," her mom said gently. "You can tell me and daddy anything."

"I said nothing was wrong," Icy Heart insisted.

The mother sighed. "Well, if you say so. I have to go to work now."

"Bye, mom." Icy Heart headed to the classroom.

In the classroom, Icy Heart bumped into a girl with grayish indigo and grayish persian blue hair and light cornflower eyes.

"Hi there!" she said cheerfully. "My name is Cookie Crumbles. Who are you?"

"Icy Heart," she replied flatly.

"Come sit by me!" Cookie called, gesturing toward an empty seat.

"Fine." Another student, Bright Mac, was confused at Icy Heart's response.

"What's eaten her?"

"Maybe she's tired after a long night," said a third, Cloudy Quartz.

Cookie Crumbles nodded thoughtfully at the others. "That could be it."

"Maybe she'll open up in due time," said Bright Mac. But throughout the day, various others tried to get Icy Heart to chat with or play with them, and Icy Heart would just give a dry response. Eventually, when a boy named Burnt Oak asked her to play in the sandpit, she was at her breaking point.

" _I want to be alone!_ " she cried.

"But Icy," said Cookie, "no one wants to be alone..." She put a hand on her shoulder, which proved to be a mistake. Much to Cookie's shock, Icy punched her arm. Cookie jumped back.

"Hey, you leave her alone, you bully!" cried Chiffon Swirl. Icy let out a scream and charged at Chiffon.

"Chiffon, watch out!" called Pear Butter; she pushed her friend out of the way only to get attacked herself. This action caught the attention of one of the teachers.

"Stop right there, young lady!" she shouted. "Just what do you think you're doing?!" But the blue haired girl didn't stop there; she zig-zagged out of the way and went to harm Burnt Oak.

"Ouch!" he yelped as his leg was hit and scratched.

"Hey, not cool!" Bright Mac shouted as he went over to help his friend.

"Icy Heart, get here this instant!" When the manic six-year-old refused to stop, the teacher went out and grabbed her from behind by the collar.

"LET GO OF ME!" screeched Icy Heart.

"Principal's office, let's go!" snapped the teacher; she started to move off, and told the nearest teacher to tend to Burnt Oak's injuries.

* * *

Meanwhile, the principal was enjoying some tea when he heard a knock.

"Bother that door..." he muttered. He stood up and walked over to open it, revealing the teacher holding Icy Heart, shrieking her lungs out.

"My goodness...!" he cried. "What on earth..."

"It's a long story," sighed the teacher. After she explained everything to her boss, he was furious.

"Icy Heart!" he roared. "How dare you attack other students, especially those that have shown you nothing but kindness."

"I just wanted to be left alone," Icy Heart sulked.

"I don't know how your parents let you do things at home, young lady," the principal continued, "but in this school, we do not viciously attack others for no reason at all! I am calling your parents to pick you up, and instruct them that you are hereby expelled for assault."

"EXPELLED?!" shrieked Icy Heart.

"The last thing we need in this school is a monster like you hurting innocent people!" The teacher was sent back on the yard duty, while Icy Heart was left in the office. When she picked her up, her mother had a thought and decided to take Icy Heart to the doctor.

"This can't be normal," she said to herself. "Something must be wrong."

"There's nothing wrong..." Icy Heart muttered to herself. "I just value my alone time."

"The doctor will be the judge of that, young lady," said her mother firmly.

Still, Icy Heart kept thinking about what the principle had called her - "a monster." That name played in her mind like a broken record.

* * *

Icy Heart and her mother got to the doctor's office and he looked the little girl over.

"She has schizophrenia," he explained. "From what I understand, she struggles to sleep at night, is irritable, withdrawn, and has most unusual behavior."

"Is there anything we can do to help her?" asked her mother.

"Well, I have some medicine which may help," said the doctor, giving Icy Heart's mother the bottle and the instructions for doses each day.

Because of Icy Heart's expulsion from school, her parents had to practically home-school her, which, in theory, could keep her from potentially attacking other innocent people. For several years, this seemed to work despite the odd tantrum here and there, but all their hard work would one day come undone...

* * *

It was in 1986, when Icy Heart was eighteen years of age. By now, she would be old enough to be out of school and strike out on her own, which would be easier said than done. Icy Heart started to go insane once more.

"I can't go out on my own!" she cried to herself. "I can't be thrown out of this house..." Icy Heart went to her room to think of what to do about her parents.

"I'd use a gun, but they're scary as hell," she decided, "and I refuse to even touch a bullet." She then thought about another way.

"Hmm... poisoning maybe... But where can I get it?" _Maybe there's something in town,_ she thought. Icy Heart went to the nearest general store to look for poison.

"Now, where would it be?" she asked herself. Many people to walked by her looked on from a distance with a mixture of confusion and fear; who was this young woman, and why had they never seen her before?

"Those people are weird," she muttered. "Hey! Do you know where the nearest general store is?" she called to a young male passerby.

"Uh, j-just down that way," he stuttered, pointing to the left. Icy Heart went off the direction he pointed without saying thank you.

"You're welcome," grunted the man sarcastically.

Icy Heart soon arrived at the general store.

"Ah, good afternoon, madam," the shopkeeper said politely. "How may I help you today?"

"There's a rat infestation at my house," Icy Heart said simply. "You have anything that could deal with the buggers?"

"Well, I usually poison the rats when they come to annoy me and my family," the shopkeeper replied.

"What methods do you use in poisoning them?"

"There's a simple method using baking soda, flour and sugar," said the shopkeeper. "Take a cup of each, put it in a shallow bowl and wait for a day for them to eat it."

"Sounds simple enough," said Icy Heart. She bought some of each ingredient, and went home.

"I wonder if it works if I bake it as a bread," she said quietly.

* * *

Once she got home, Icy put her plan into action. She took out her ingredients and mixed the flour, sugar, and baking powder together. Now to add her poison to some bread mix so it wouldn't look too suspicious. That done, she kneaded the dough and put it in the oven.

"I better watch it carefully unless I over-bake it," she said. After some considerable time waiting, the oven dinged, signifying it was ready. Icy Heart pulled it out of the oven and checked to make sure it wasn't too hard or too soft.

"Okay, good, it's not over or under-baked."

She placed it on the table, and washed her hands to make sure she wouldn't get poisoned. "Can't risk killing myself with my own creation," she noted. She went to go read a book, just as her parents headed to the kitchen.

"What's this?" asked her father.

"Aww, looks like our daughter baked some bread for us," said her mother. "That's really sweet."

"Must be her way of showing gratitude for being loving parents," her father suggested. Eagerly, the two went to the cupboard to get some spreads for the bread.

"Would you like marmalade or butter?" asked the father.

"I'll have some marmalade, thanks," smiled the mother. "You?"

"I think I'll have the butter." The two of them cut a slice each, spread the butter and marmalade on and started eating it. Icy Heart, having heard her parents come in, watched from the doorway unnoticed.

 _How long will it take?_ she thought to herself. _Shopkeeper never said how long it took for the effect to happen._

* * *

As the week progressed, Icy Heart noticed her parents getting sick.

 _Slow acting poison,_ she thought. _Lucky I haven't had any myself._ "Are you two alright?" she asked out loud.

"N-not really," her father said. "Got a terrible stomach ache."

"C-could you... get us a bucket?" her mother asked, on the verge of throwing up. Icy Heart obeyed, and got one for her mom and another for her dad. Just in time too, because no sooner did her mother grab a bucket that she promptly threw up.

"Ugh..." Icy Heart groaned in disgust. _Should I need to off anyone again,_ she thought in her mind, _poisoning is off the table._

* * *

Then, exactly one week after Icy Heart's parents ate the bread, they died.

"That took long enough," she said to herself. "But how can I dispose of the bodies? I need to come up with an excuse as to how they died..." She then thought.

"I know, I can use a made up name and say _they_ killed my parents. Hmm..." Icy Heart wrote something down on a scratch piece of paper.

"I could take the bodies out of my house and place them near the road," she said to herself. "Then maybe put some tomato sauce on them to make it look like they've been hit by a car. And the person who hit them can be..." She tapped her chin and thought. "Hmm... Golden Lass. Yes. I like that name."

So that's what she did later this evening. After arranging the corpses in road and adding the tomato sauce, Icy Heart set the next part of the plan into action.

"Oh no!" she cried dramatically. "Mom, dad, can you hear me? Oh, please..." It took a while before someone else came to the scene of the "crime".

"Oh my..." cried the bystander. "What happened?"

"My parents!" wailed Icy Heart. "Some maniac called Golden Lass went and hit them with her car!" The bystander looked horrified at the event.

"That's just terrible..." she cried. "How could Golden Lass do that?"

"I don't know! But all I know is that she'll pay for this!"

"What did she look like? Golden Lass, that is."

"She has long yellow hair and blue eyes, almost sounded like she was Scottish," Icy replied, thankful that she had visualized this in her head on the spot.

"I'll let my friends know," the bystander said, and by now, Icy realized she was Cloudy Quartz, one of the people she went to school with. It wasn't long before the police arrived at the scene.

"What did the driver look like?" asked the chief of police. Icy Heart repeated the description she had given to Cloudy Quartz.

"I see," the chief replied. "Did you see what car she was driving?"

"I think it was a red car, but it went so fast that I couldn't see it's registration plate."

"A red car, huh?" said the chief. "Quite a lot in the area, but no matter; we'll find this Golden Lass and bring her to justice."

"Thank you," Icy Heart said gratefully. "I just don't know how I'll manage without my mother and father." The chief gave Icy Heart a sympathetic gaze. On the inside, Icy felt a sense of pride. With her parents gone, there'd be nobody to kick her out.

* * *

The next day, Icy started to clear out her parents' stuff, and one of the things she caught sight of was her mom's journal.

"What is this?" she asked as she opened it to the page of her mother's last entry:

" _Dear Diary,_

 _Despite how sick my husband and I are right now, I know my daughter has worked really hard to look after us. She's such a sweet girl, and I know she's recovering from when she attacked the other students as a kid. My husband and I are happy with having Icy Heart stay here as long as she desires. She doesn't have to move out straight away._ "

Icy Heart didn't bother reading the rest of the entry, for she let go the journal and it fell to the floor by her feet.

"T-they wanted me to stay..." she choked. "How did I not think that..." She couldn't finish the sentence, for she fell to the floor on her rear end and began sobbing into her hands; Icy Heart had killed her parents for absolutely nothing. In shame, she threw a rock that had gotten caught in her shoe at the nearest window and it smashed.

* * *

 **JULY 26, 2007**

Years later, Icy Heart had married Noble Shield and they had a daughter, Sunset Shimmer. She clearly took more of her dad's side of the family in terms of her red and yellow hair, but her eyes seemed to resemble her mother's in a shade of blue. Whilst Noble Shield loved his daughter to bits, Icy Heart constantly felt alienated and took it out on their daughter.

One particular day, during the year Sunset was set to first attend Canterlot Middle (it was holidays right now), the young girl was just brushing her hair to get ready for the day.

"I can't wait to go to the park with daddy," she said. "Maybe someone will be there with a puppy today."

"It's always 'daddy this', daddy that'!" shouted Icy Heart suddenly. "Why don't you spend time with mommy for a change?!"

She then whacked Sunset hard with her hand.

"Ouch!" she yelped loudly. Her dad heard from the living room.

"What's going on here?" he demanded. He took one look at Sunset's nose, which had started bleeding.

"Sunset!" he cried, cradling his daughter close.

"I-is it bad?" Sunset asked nervously.

"Let's go to the doctor." Noble Shield quickly ushered Sunset away, all without speaking to Icy Heart and giving her a glare. Sunset's injury wasn't too bad, but the doctor informed them both that it would be three weeks before it was healed.

* * *

During their absence, Icy Heart face-palmed herself and walked around in circles.

"Sunset and Noble Shield are _always_ together," she muttered crossly. "They're always out on dad/daughter outings, Noble Shield spoils her every chance he gets. He never treats me like that anymore. What does my daughter have that I don't?"

Icy Heart didn't know what to do, so she decided to pick up a book and read it instead. _At least it'll give me something to do,_ she thought to herself. A few hours had passed before she heard Noble and Sunset walk in. Noble had left Sunset in her room, judging by their footsteps, and he burst into the living room.

"Icy... we need to talk."

"What?"

" **I told you a million times to stop bullying our daughter!** " Noble Shield roared, his calm tone sizzling away in moments. "She does not deserve to be treated like garbage!"

"I am merely trying to stop her from destroying our marriage," argued Icy Heart, after the shock had worn off.

"Destroy our marriage?!" Noble was now deep in shock. "Sunset never destroyed our marriage; she added love to it!"

"Ever since she was born," said Icy Heart, "you basically pushed me aside and focused your attention on Sunset. Before she was born, I was the world to you! That's why I didn't want to be a mother in the first place!"

"That's not true!" Noble practically yelled. "I cared _both_ for our daughter _and_ you! I wanted the both of us to be happy with a family all of our own, but now I can see why people avoid you; you're basically a monster!"

Icy was torn deep down inside. She knew nearly everyone saw her as a monster, and Noble Shield was willing to give her a chance. Now, _he_ saw her as a monster too. But... maybe it was just Sunset who turned him away from her.

"That's their problem!" she snapped at last. "All we have to do is get rid of the kid and it'll be just you and me again the way it was supposed to!"

"Tell it to the police!" snapped Noble Shield, which was the final blow for her. "You will never bully my daughter ever again."

" _My_ daughter." That was what he had said. Not "our," but "my." He really _didn't_ care about her anymore. Sunset was Noble Shield's, and his alone. Icy Heart just may as well be... well, a chunk of ice in the ocean.

* * *

 **OCTOBER 4, 2007**

That morning, Noble Shield was out on a walk at the park while Sunset was at school and Icy Heart was at home.

"What did I see in Icy Heart..." he said to himself. "Her name fits her too well. Heart full of ice." He then thought back. There was a nice woman he met at the bar once.

"Stellar Flare," he said to himself. He picked out his mini book with addresses of his friends, and decided to go visit her.

Noble Shield got in his car and drove out to Stellar Flare's house. After ringing the doorbell, out stepped... a woman with grayish emerald green eyes and blue hair in tones of sapphire and cobalt blue.

"Oh, hello?" she said, surprised. Noble Shield was also confused.

"Didn't someone named Stellar Flare live here?" he asked.

"Stellar Flare..." the woman trailed, then understood. "Oh, yes... poor lady. She died of a broken heart before she gave this house to my husband, my daughter and me."

"Why'd she die?" asked Noble Shield.

"Her only son died when a drunk driver hit him," sighed the woman.

"What did the driver look like?"

"Cerulean blue eyes with dark blue hair," the woman replied. "At least, this is what she recorded in her dairy."

 _I have a hunch as to who it may be,_ Noble Shield thought to himself.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" asked the woman.

"Oh no, that was all I wanted to know," said Noble Shield. "I thank you for a few moments of your time, Miss..."

"Mrs. Paleo," she replied. "Feel free to visit anytime."

"Thanks, Mrs. Paleo." Noble Shield left the house, and wondered just where Stellar Flare could have gotten a son from. As far as he was aware, she never got married.

"Wait, that night... it can't have resulted in..." Noble Shield started to become dizzy with shock. He then drove back home, still grief-stricken over the son he had never gotten to know, as well as the fact he couldn't go back and marry Stellar Flare to try and give Sunset a better mom.

* * *

Sunset was still at school when Noble Shield returned home.

"I can't believe it..." he said to himself. "A son... Sunset had a brother. I should have been there for him and taken Sunset out of this mess..."

"I _knew_ you betrayed me that night with that Stellar Flare," Icy Heart snapped, startling Noble Shield.

"H-how did you know?" he gasped.

"I caught sight of Stellar Flare in the park with her son when he was growing up," she spat. "The lighter red streaks in his hair definitely came from you."

"That was an accident!" protested Noble Shield. "I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"Then, why did you mention something about going back to her today?" Icy growled.

"After you attacked Sunset," Noble Shield went on, "I knew she needed someone who would treat her right. But, little did I realize, Stellar Flare died of a broken heart because _someone_ killed her son." He paused. "That was _you_ , wasn't it?"

"I was drunk behind the wheel!" she snapped back. "So I didn't have much control."

"No one should be drunk behind the wheel!" Noble snapped back. "You should have gotten me to pick you up! Just thank your lucky stars you weren't arrested then!"

"I avoided being arrested before," she sneered, "when I poisoned my parents to death."

"You... _you what?!_ " shrieked Noble Shield. "You told me it was someone named Golden Lass who hit them with her car. Why would you do this?!"

"I-it was a misunderstanding," Icy tried to stand her ground. "I-I assumed they wanted me to find my own place, but they wanted me to stay with them..."

"So, not only are you a bully," said Noble Shield angrily, "you are a murderous monster! You have gone too far, Icy Heart! I am calling the police!"

"I'll never get caught, Noble Shield!" she spat. "I can escape again!" In rage, she threw the heaviest book in the bookshelf at his head, and stabbed him with a kitchen knife several times for good measure. Noble Shield was barely clinging onto life, and Icy knew that once again, she'd have to lie in order to escape prison.

"Now, who can I pin the blame on this time?" she asked herself. "I can't use Golden Lass for a pen-name again... Hmm... I know; Gabby Gums!" She had no idea where that name came from, but it would work anyway. After dragging him into the bed, Icy Heart informed the police about the "attack," and Sunset was informed of the incident at school. And just like that, Icy Heart had once again murdered an innocent human being. She thought that as long as she kept her wits, she could get away with anything. Icy also figured she had to be nice to Sunset, so that she wouldn't catch onto the fact that she murdered Noble Shield.

But her victory didn't last long, as in April of 2008, Sunset discovered the truth in her mother's diary and informed the Sentries about it, who in turn informed the police about Icy's deception. This resulted in the insane woman being apprehended and brutally beaten by a rather sadistic officer named Whiplash who had a deep-seated hatred towards abusive people, especially child abusers. Had it not been for the rest of the force's interference, Icy would have surely been killed. In court, it was discovered that Icy had lied about her parents' deaths, as well as being involved in a drunken hit and run that killed a young boy called Sunburst. All that put together led to a prison sentence of 50 years to life.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2014**

That brought Icy Heart to now. She was still in prison. Among other prisoners there were Flame Barrier, who had been drunk and hit his ex-wife Lullaby Strings, Garble, Garble's parents, and Scattered Marbles, the brother of Cloud Wisp and abusive father of Butterscotch. And to top it off, Icy found herself and Scattered Marbles being cruelly tortured by Whiplash every other day.

"If I had my way," he growled, "monsters like you would be dead by now."

"This really stinks..." she muttered to herself after he'd left. "Why can't they let us out?!"

"Better get used to it, sister," snorted Garble. "You're gonna be here a long time."

"And at times, some won't forgive you no matter how much you feel guilty..." Flame Barrier whispered.

"I hate living in this hellhole," said Icy Heart. "I gotta find a way to break out somehow! But that guard's a right brute..."

"Yeah, good luck with that," grunted Scattered Marbles. "Tried that before, and Whiplash beat the living daylights out of me."

"But what if... it were two against one?" suggested Icy Heart.

"Ha! No chance of that," said Scattered Marbles. "In a physical match, it's like two against twenty."

"I mean, we were both locked in here because we abused our children," said Icy. "Maybe, if we get out at the same time, Whiplash would be taken... _off guard_." She chuckled at her pun.

"That was a terrible joke right there," Scattered Marbles groaned.

"That doesn't matter," Icy retorted. "So, are you in, or not?"

"...fine," Scattered Marbles sighed. "Just one question, though..." Scattered Marbles cleared his throat. " **How do you suppose we get out of our cells**?!"

"Well, the way I'm guessing my daughter got into my dairy." She took out her hairpin and started unpicking her lock.

"It's that simple?" Scattered Marbles deadpanned.

"Hey, I forgot I had a hairpin in when I got arrested." Within seconds, her cell door opened. _I can't believe that actually worked,_ she thought to herself. _I better get that guy outta here before we both get caught..._

Quickly, Icy Heart started to unpick Scattered Marbles' lock. While Garble and his parents looked on in jealously, Flame Barrier had a wave of worry overcome him.

"Hey! Why don't ya let us free as well?!" protested Garble's father.

"Sorry," sneered Icy Heart. "Two will do the job fine. Now let's get out of here!"

The two of them raced off to the front, but Whiplash caught sight of them.

"Escapees!" cried Whiplash, and tried to catch them both. He managed to grab Scattered Marbles, but Icy Heart slipped away. Scattered Marbles looked up with a frightened expression.

"Mommy..."

"You will _never_ get away with hurting your son!"

And in seconds, Whiplash started to beat Scattered Marbles up. The poor prisoner was now in pain, whimpering and crying. Icy Heart didn't dare to look back as all she was concerned about was saving herself. She was free to go find Sunset, and Scattered Marbles had been her ticket out.

"Look out, Sunset," she giggled maniacally, a twisted smile on her face. "Mommy's coming home..."

What Icy Heart didn't know was that Scattered Marbles was beaten to death by Whiplash.

"One less child abuser in the world..." Whiplash said calmly. The prisoners were disturbed by this act of violence, and even more so by Icy Heart leaving him to die.

"That's twisted by my standards!" exclaimed Garble.

"I'm staying put..." whispered Charcoal.

"Me too..." added Ash.

"I hope she gets exactly what she deserves," added Flame Barrier.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Golden Lass is the name of an old OC of mine that I originally planned to use for** ** _Royals, Friends and Lovers_** **as one of Vincent's ex-girlfriends.**

 **As of this chapter, Noble Shield doubles up on both himself and Sunspot, who is Sunburst's dad in the show.**

 **The original plan to kill Noble Shield in** ** _Fortunes and Tragedies_** **was to have Icy Heart poison him. While that didn't happen, Icy Heart** ** _did_** **poison her parents.**


	23. H&V9 - Scared

Now we return to the present day, the day after Starlight's expulsion from Canterlot High, and it's also the day where Icy Heart breaks out of jail. Coincidence? Wait and see...

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 9 - Scared (Lennon, 1974)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

The next morning, Tuesday the 25th, Sunset and her adopted family were watching television when a news bulletin came on.

" _We interrupt this broadcast to bring you this emergency bulletin. Deranged murderer, Icy Heart, aged 46, has escaped from Canterlot Prison. Her current whereabouts are unknown, but locals are advised to watch out for this woman for she is extremely dangerous. If you see this woman, do not approach her or attempt to speak to or apprehend her; contact the police immediately._ "

When Sunset heard the mere mention of her mother, she gasped in horror. She almost thought she'd faint.

"Oh no..." she whispered. Celestia noticed the worried look on her adopted daughter's face.

"Is everything alright, Sunset?" she asked.

" _No_!" Sunset nearly screamed, taking her adopted family by surprise. "Uh, s-s-sorry," she stammered, noticing their shocked reactions. "I-I j-j-just... er..." She struggled to finish her sentence.

"You're worried about your mother coming after you?" asked Sombra.

"Y-yes," said Sunset at last. "I'm afraid that she'll try to hurt those close to me to get a message across."

"Not if we have a say in it," insisted Sombra.

"You're our daughter, Sunset," soothed Celestia. "No matter what Icy Heart thinks."

"That fox-hearted woman should go to the dark forest," remarked Solar Crystal. Her family looked blankly at her for a moment. "What? Song Cue says that a lot. That's where the evil cats of _Warriors_ go."

"You've been spending a lot of time with her lately, haven't you?" asked Sunset. "Not that it's a bad thing."

Solar Crystal chuckled a little. "Any friend of my sister is a friend of mine."

* * *

Soon, Sunset had arrived at Canterlot High School, but she still couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Oh, what if Icy Heart knows I'm here?" she fretted. "Oh, she'll abuse me at best and kill me at worst..."

"Sunset?"

Sunset glanced over to see Orange Sherbet walking to his locker, but he stopped to give her a comforting hug when he heard her panicking.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"I-Icy Heart escaped prison..." Sunset sobbed.

"I heard about it on the news this morning," said Orange. "I even heard that uncle Scattered Marbles had been beaten to death trying to escape."

Sunset blinked. "H-he was?"

"Indeed," said Song Cue, who came up alongside. "While I'm glad that foxheart went to the dark forest, being beaten to death is not exactly what I had in mind for Scattered Marbles."

 _I kinda wish_ _ **he**_ _escaped and Icy Heart was the one beaten to death,_ Sunset thought to herself. "Well, at least Butterscotch is in no real danger now," she spoke. "Give my regards to him."

"We'll make sure to tell him that," Song Cue nodded.

"Do you want me to walk you to class?" asked Orange Sherbet. "Your room is right next to mine for first period."

"That would be fine," said Sunset.

"And you can talk to us and the others during break," assured Song Cue. "You have our full support."

"Thanks, guys," smiled Sunset. "I really appreciate it a lot." The trio then split to class, Sunset not daring to stray far from Orange's side.

Sunset walked into class and took a seat. The class seemed unusually quiet; given that they heard the news of her birth mother escaping from prison, that was probably a good thing. The teacher walked up, nodding in understanding before beginning the lesson.

"Good morning, class," he said.

"Good morning!" the students all called, Sunset's voice sounded dry.

"Today," said the teacher, "we shall be learning about factoring quadratics."

All throughout class, Sunset could not stop thinking about her mother.

* * *

At lunch, Song Cue and Orange Sherbet kept their promise and rallied the rest of the Rainbooms (sans Rarity), along with Twilight, Comet and Vincent together.

"You think you'll be alright, Sunset?" asked Comet.

"I... I'm scared..." she sighed. "W-what if Icy Heart c-comes to my house to..." She couldn't finish.

"My brother and father are a part of the police force," said Twilight. "I'm almost certain they'll put her behind bars again."

"No, I think it's more complicated than that, Twilight," said Vincent.

"Surely Mr. Sparkle and Shining Armor can catch Icy Heart again," said Pinkie.

"Maybe," said Vincent, "but from what I was told, Icy Heart is rather smart and manipulative, however mentally deranged she is."

Fluttershy shuddered at the thought. "Oh, she's a monster. I sure hope she's caught quickly."

"And not a moment too soon," agreed Rainbow Dash. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere near her late at night."

"Them darn chahld abusers..." muttered Applejack darkly. "Don't they realize they were once kids themselves?"

"Scattered Marbles wasn't so bad when he was younger," said Fluttershy. "Maybe a bit... erm, eccentric at times, but never violent."

"It was Ivy's death which caused him to be so violent..." agreed Song Cue. "Somewhat like Thistleclaw over Snowfur." There was an awkward silence for a few minutes.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight, knowing _she's_ out there..." gulped Sunset.

* * *

Unfortunately, she was right, because that night, Sunset was struggling to sleep.

"No..." she mumbled. "Stay away from me. Stop! _**HELP!**_ "

"Sunset!" Celestia rushed into her room. "Sunset, what's wrong?"

"I-Icy Heart..." she sobbed into Celestia's chest. "S-she tried to k-kill me..." Celestia held her adopted daughter close as she cried.

"It's alright, Sunset," she said in a comforting whisper. "It was only a bad dream. I'm here for you. I won't let that monster do anything to harm you."

"Th-thanks, mom..." Sunset hugged her tighter than ever. Celestia remained in thought for a moment.

"I remember Lullaby Strings mentioning to me that you once had Vincent sleep with you so you wouldn't have nightmares. Do you want me to invite him over?"

"Oh, yes, mom," said Sunset. "I would like that very much." Celestia went downstairs to the phone.

* * *

At the Sentry house, Page Turner rubbed his eyes sleepily as the phone rang.

"Who'd be calling at this hour?"

" _I'm sorry about calling you this late, Page._ "

Page then remembered the news he saw that morning. "Is it Icy Heart?" he whispered. "Has she found your house?"

" _Fortunately, no,_ " said Celestia. " _But the matter here is Sunset. She just woke up from a bad dream and... I was wondering if it would be possible for Vincent to come stay with her for a while._ "

"I'm... not too sure..." said Page. "They're both teenagers, after all. So who knows what they would get up to?"

" _They are very responsible teenagers,_ " Celestia assured. " _Sunset feels very secure around Vincent._ "

"Well... if you're sure," said Page. "I'll let Vincent know in the morning."

* * *

The next morning when Vincent woke, Page Turner walked over.

"Son, Celestia called last night."

"That early?" asked Vincent. "What about?"

"Sunset's been having trouble sleeping," Page said. "We were wondering if you could go over to her house to help her."

"Is it because of Icy Heart's escape?" asked Vincent.

"That's exactly what it is," sighed Page. "So... would you be willing to help Sunset by visiting her for a while?"

"Yes," said Vincent, almost immediately.

"There's my good boy." Page Turner hugged his step-son and went to help Vincent pack some bags to stay at Sunset's house. "You'll go to school as normal, and Celestia will pick you and Sunset up."

"Seems simple enough," said Vincent. "Will my bags be there when school's out?"

"You can count on it," assured Page Turner.

"Thanks, dad."

* * *

At school, Sunset's eyes were red as she had cried herself to sleep the previous night. She had also found herself unable to focus during class.

"Sunset, did you pay attention to what I said?" called the teacher during second period (first class of the day).

"Huh?" Sunset looked up to see the teacher looking at her with an annoyed expression.

"What's gotten into you?" asked the teacher. "You look like you didn't sleep a wink."

"Just... overwhelmed with school work," said Sunset. The teacher paused, then thought back.

"Are you the daughter of the abuser which escaped prison?" she asked gently. Sunset nodded.

"How about you go get some water?" the teacher assured. "I'll send someone with you."

"Thanks," said Sunset. She got up from her seat and Fluttershy was chosen to go with her.

"You think you'll be okay today?" she asked in concern. "You're looking a bit pale there."

"The nightmares seemed so real, Fluttershy," sighed Sunset. "I don't know what else to do." Fluttershy didn't know what to say to that.

"I only hope Icy Heart is caught soon."

"I know the feeling too," said Fluttershy. The two remained silence while they carried on their walk.

* * *

Sure enough, it was the end of the school day and Sunset put her things away. But much to her surprise, she saw Vincent coming her way.

"Vincent?" she asked.

"My dad said I can stay with you," Vincent explained.

"Oh." Sunset felt a wash of comfort upon hearing that and hugged Vincent tightly. He felt himself being squeezed by her firm grip.

"Ah don't think either of ya will get home like that," chuckled Applejack as she walked past. But Vincent hadn't heard her.

"I love you, Vincent," Sunset whispered, sounding calmer than she had all day.

"I love you too, Sunset," Vincent whispered back, and hugged her in return. Both seemed lost in their own little world for what seemed like ages (though it was actually a couple of minutes). The moment was interrupted when Celestia called out to them.

"Vincent, Sunset, let's get in the car."

"Sorry about that, mom," said Sunset, letting go of her boyfriend. "I guess we kinda lost track of time."

"Understandable," Celestia chuckled. "Vincent, your dad brought your things to my house this morning."

"Glad to hear," said Vincent. So the three jumped in the car and Celestia drove off.

"Do Flash and Fictionary know you're coming home with me?" asked Sunset.

"They do," said Vincent. "They know that it's only until Icy Heart is brought to justice... again."

"I hope you can handle being around Solar Crystal as well," called Celestia. "She could very well be your sister-in-law someday."

"I'm only seventeen," said Vincent, blushing hard. "I'm not in a rush to get married..." Celestia tried hard to bite back her chuckles.

* * *

Soon, the trio arrived at Celestia's home. The house was a normal three bedroom house; despite her wealth, Celestia was not one to flaunt it around.

"Home sweet home," Sunset jumped down from the car.

"It's a nice place," said Vincent as he got out.

"Come on, wait till you see inside!" Sunset called, eagerly gesturing toward the door.

"What's it like?" asked Vincent.

"It's not a giant house," Sunset admitted, "but I'm sure you'll like it."

The trio went inside after Celestia unlocked the door and let them inside. First, there was the main hallway. A few fake plants were there for decorative purposes and some paintings and photos hung on the wall.

"Wow," said Vincent.

"You think that's good?" grinned Sunset. "Wait till you see the kitchen and living room." The trio walked into the kitchen next. Sombra was already there preparing snacks.

"Hi dad!" Sombra smiled as he saw his adopted daughter and brought her in for a hug.

"How's my baby girl?" he asked and ruffled her hair playfully.

"I thought Solar Crystal was the family baby," joked Sunset.

"I love you both equally," smiled Sombra. "You're both my daughters as far as I'm concerned." Then he noticed Vincent.

"Ah, hello, Vincent," he greeted warmly. "Page Turner said you'd be here a while. How was your day?"

"It was pretty good," said Vincent.

"Glad to hear," said Sombra. "Your things are in Sunset's room."

"Thank you," said Vincent. At that moment, Solar Crystal was coming down the stairs. Vincent and Sunset were just walking down the hall to the latter's room when they came across her.

"Hey sis," smiled Sunset. "You remember Vincent's staying with us a while, right?"

"Yeah," said Solar. "Are you sure you can handle being around two teenage girls?" she added teasingly.

"H-hey, look here," said Vincent. "I've already dealt with two girls fighting for my attention at school, and I don't want to deal with that at someone else's house."

"Solar's just messing with you," chuckled Sunset. "I know my sister."

"Oh, I knew that," said Vincent.

* * *

Sunset and Vincent then headed into the former's room. Her books were tucked neatly away on her shelf, and she had other belongings on her chest of drawers and bedside table. Her wardrobe was just off to the front door, and her bed was on the corner of her room. Vincent's bag was beside the chest of drawers.

"Sure you got everything you need?" asked Sunset.

"Yep," said Vincent. "Enough clothes to last me a week, a few favorite books, toothpaste, toothbrush, hairbrush... oh! And I can't forget about Jiji." He pulled out a small black stuffed cat from the bag.

"Aww, you still have Jiji," Sunset cooed, remembering when Vincent first got it all those years ago on his sixth birthday.

"Yep, I've never thought of letting him go," said Vincent. "When I've a kid of my own, I'll pass him on to them."

"Thinking about a kid already?" Sunset gave a laugh. "Do you think he or she will resemble you or me more?"

"I personally don't care how our kid looks as long as we love them," said Vincent.

"Same here," said Sunset. "But let's maybe wait... sometime down the track." She then noticed one of her _Thomas and Friends_ DVDs fall off the shelf. "No pun intended."

"Yeah," said Vincent. "I don't want to be a father at seventeen." Vincent put Jiji down on Sunset's bed, where she had a few soft toys of her own.

* * *

That evening, Vincent sat down at the dinner table with Sunset and her family.

"What's for dinner tonight, dad?" asked Solar Crystal.

"We're having vegetable soup tonight," Sombra replied. "I went out specially to get the ingredients today."

"Yum!" grinned Sunset. "I love your soup, dad."

"I've never had vegetable soup before," said Vincent. "I've had tomato soup and chicken noodle soup in the past."

"You'll enjoy it," said Celestia. "Both Sombra and I are practiced chefs." Vincent's bowl was soon filled with broth consisting of yellow onion, carrot, celery, tomato, green beans, corn and peas. Vincent had eaten most of them before, but never in the same soup; he was weary about the onion and peas, but didn't want to say anything about it. Sombra rejoined Vincent and the girls with some bread to go with it.

"Feel free to add butter to it if you want," said Sombra. "I've even added some garlic and Parmesan cheese in it."

"Oh, that's always delicious," Solar Crystal eagerly took a slice and tucked into her meal. Sunset was already eating, and looked over at her boyfriend who hasn't touched his dinner.

"Come on, Vinnie," she chuckled. "We know you'll like it."

Nervously, Vincent lifted a spoonful of soup, and looked at it before putting it in his mouth.

"Well?" said Celestia.

"That _is_ good," remarked Vincent.

"Told you," chorused the sisters. After a few more spoonfuls, Vincent then tried out the bread with some butter on it.

"Dad worked extra hard on this bread," Solar smiled.

"I always do when guests are coming," Sombra added.

"It's amazing," said Vincent.

"I'm glad you like it, Vincent," Celestia grinned. "There's more meals where this came from."

"Well, I guess I'd better get used to this," said Vincent. Sunset knew her cruel birth mother was still out there somewhere and deep down, she was afraid of what she may do. But with Vincent at her house for the time being, she felt safe and warm, and she wouldn't be having any bad dreams tonight.


	24. H&V10 - Poor Little Girl

More of Starlight's backstory is revealed here; it's also the last chapter in _Heroes and Villains_ to feature a flashback.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 10 - Poor Little Girl (Harrison, 1989)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2014**

At this point, you may be wondering, whatever happened to Starlight Glimmer? Well, upon her expulsion from Canterlot High, her aunt Abacus Cinch was called to pick her up. When they made it home, the lecture began.

"Starlight Glimmer," she said severely, "I am appalled by your actions. I thought bullying a student for several years and getting away with such behavior was atrocious, but this brings it to a new level!"

"Oh, and I suppose the Cinch family has never done anything that horrid?" retorted Starlight. "From what I was told, grandma and grandpa were two of the most manipulative liars around. I thought manipulation and lies were what the Cinch family were best known for."

Cinch was shaken up by her niece's outburst. "Uh... well, they..."

"I heard some gossip going round the school during my time there," Starlight went on. "A student mentioned there was a historian named Firelight and she was married to Cobalt Star. Star and light... the first parts of my name."

"...how did you know about your parents?" Cinch asked after a stunned silence.

"I thought they may be," Starlight said firmly. "I don't know what happened to mom, but I vaguely remember my dad visiting me as a toddler. I don't know why he wasn't in my life, but my guess is that my grandparents drove him away."

"Well, you're partly right on your grandparents," Cinch explained, "but Cobalt Star..." She let out a heavy sigh. "She died giving birth to you. Her last wish was that I would take part in raising you..." Cinch then got angry again. "And apparently, no thanks to you, I've done a horrible job of it!"

"Are you sure it's not your own fault?" asked Starlight incredulously.

"Don't you talk back to me like that, young lady!" scolded Cinch. "Honestly, you're a lot like your mother; rebellious, and with no regard for rules or authority. Things might've been better off for me if I just left you at an orphanage! You've been a burden to me ever since you were born!"

"So you admit it then," growled Starlight. "You never cared for me at all!"

"B-but... I..."

Starlight didn't stay to reply. She ran to her room and slammed the door behind her. Then she went to grab essentials and place in a bag. Clothes, toothbrush, hairbrush, you name it.

"I should have listened to Sunburst..." she whispered, and then she began to think back to her youth to when Sunburst was still alive.

* * *

 **AUGUST 20, 2001**

This was Starlight's first day at Canterlot Elementary School, and she was shaken up inside.

"Who am I supposed to talk to?" she wondered. "What will I do?"

"Hey," called a young male voice. "Are you lost?" Starlight turned to see a young boy about her age, perhaps younger by a month or so. His hair was a vivid vermilion and his eyes had a gradient from dark cornflower blue to cyan.

"Oh, yes," Starlight said. "I don't know where I'm supposed to sit, or put my bag. Do you know?"

"You, erm... put a bag on a rack and sit on a carpet?" the boy replied awkwardly.

"Oh..." Starlight looked sheepish. "Uh, I thought we may have allocated racks and spots on the carpet for some reason."

The teacher chuckled. "It can be overwhelming on your first day. Don't worry," she went on. "I'm sure this young one will help you settle in."

"I'd be more than happy to help," the young boy said. "I'm Sunburst, by the way."

"I'm Starlight Glimmer," she replied, shaking hands. "Pleasure to meet you, Sunburst."

"You too, Starlight. Come on," said Sunburst. "You can sit by me on the floor."

"Thanks," said Starlight. The two sat down next to each other as they waited for class to begin.

"For the first activity," said the teacher, "one of you needs to come up with a story and the other has to draw the main characters. Of course, this means you have to work in partners."

"This sounds like fun," said Starlight to Sunburst.

"Starlight and Sunburst, sounds like you're our first pair," smiled the teacher.

"We are?" asked Sunburst. "I-I mean, we are."

The teacher quickly took a note. "Now the rest of you choose your own partners and get started."

"What do you think we should do a story about?" asked Starlight.

"How about..." Sunburst pondered. "The story of two people who get lost in the woods, and they find a friendly bird to lead them home."

Starlight nodded her head eagerly. "I like that. Okay, maybe the friendly bird can be called... Rockin' Robin."

"Oh, you mean from that song," chuckled Sunburst. "I remember."

"So, you want to write the story?" asked Starlight. "You did come up with the idea."

"Sure. You can draw." So Starlight began to draw up the characters of the story she and Sunburst came up with.

"How does this look?" asked Starlight when she drew the bird. It looked like a raven with blue feathers.

"That's beautiful, Starlight."

"Thanks, Sunburst."

"And how's this for the opening?" Sunburst showed what he written so far.

 _Once upon a time, there were two friends who thought it would be a good idea to see what animals they could spot in the woods. They came across some rabbit tracks and started following them, but suddenly, they fell down a small slope._

"Uh oh," said Starlight. "What's gonna happen next?"

"Maybe they try to find their way back, and then they bump into Rockin' Robin," considered Sunburst.

"Let's go with that," said Starlight. "Meanwhile, I'll work on the two friends."

"Okay." Sunburst went on with his writing, and even came up with the idea to have the two friends hear Rockin' Robin... well, rocking out on his guitar which got the friends to find him in the first place.

"Alright, Sunburst; I got the two friends done."

"Aww, they look so cute," Sunburst smiled.

"Thanks," said Starlight. "I wonder what the others will think."

"I'm sure they'll like them too," Sunburst said reassuringly.

Later, it was time for the class to share their stories.

"So, who'd like to share first?" asked the teacher. A pair of other students raised their hands and were chosen first. The students in question were Night Glider and Party Favor. The former had cerulean eyes and white hair with light phthalo blue streaks, whilst the latter had cobalt blue eyes and moderate azure hair with cornflower blue streaks.

Their story was about a kid who thought their friends forgot their birthday, but in the end, surprised them with a giant party. The story was received well, especially when during the cake making scene, some of the flour got dumped onto the friends by accident.

"How do you think we'll do?" asked Starlight.

"I think we'll be fine," Sunburst reassured. Other stories were presented, and for the most part, the class liked them. Soon, it was time for the final story.

"Starlight, Sunburst, it's your turn."

"Here goes," said Starlight to herself. The two of them walked up to the front.

"Our tale is called 'Rockin' in the Woods'," said Sunburst, and he opened the first page to begin.

 _Once upon a time, there were two friends who thought it would be a good idea to see what animals they could spot in the woods. They came across some rabbit tracks and started following them, but suddenly, they fell down a small slope._

 _It was then the friends realized they were lost, and their footprints had been covered up by leaves. Everywhere looked the same to them._

 _Suddenly, the friends heard the sound of a guitar further up. Not seeing any other choice, the friends followed it. The two were most surprised with what they saw._

 _"Is it a bird?"_

 _"Is it a plane..."_

 _"Do I look like I'm made of metal?"_

 _The friends were stunned silence after that. Then, the bird laughed._

 _"You two decided to go wondering through the woods, eh? Don't fret. All you have to do is follow the direction of my song, and you'll get home."_

 _"Okay then," said one of the friends._

 _"Who are you?" asked the other._

 _"The name's Rockin' Robin," the bird grinned. "And my guitar is my pride and joy." Rockin' Robin flew along and started playing his music. The friends strolled along, and it wasn't long before they started humming. Before they knew it, they were back on the path they were originally on._

 _"Thanks very much, Rockin' Robin," called the friends, but much to their shock, he was gone._

 _"Maybe he's gone to help some other friends lost in the woods," said one of the friends._

 _"Maybe we'll see him again one say," said the other. But for now, the two kids were happy to be back, and even decided to play the guitar, only for them to discover it was trickier than they thought._

"The end!" chorused Starlight and Sunburst.

"Wow, a bird on guitar," said Night Glider. "That's so cool, I wouldn't have thought of that."

"Me neither," said Party Favor.

"The story's awesome!" called an older boy named Double Diamond. More calls of approval drifted from the students.

"You did very well, you two," smiled the teacher. "I think you both earned a sticker."

"Thanks, ma'am," said Starlight. Both of them received yellow star stickers for their efforts, and sat back down on the rug.

"I think it's a wonderful start to our friendship," smiled Starlight.

"Yeah, it sure is," agreed Sunburst.

* * *

At the end of the school day, it was time to go home and Sunburst and Starlight waited for their caretakers to pick them up.

"I live with my aunt, Abacus Cinch," said Starlight. "What about you?"

"A single mother," replied Sunburst. "A bit overbearing at times, but I still love her."

"Do you know what happened to your dad?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," said Sunburst. "I never asked my mom about him."

"I tried asking my aunt about my parents," Starlight admitted. "But she never gave me a clear answer."

"Why's that?"

"I have no idea," sighed Starlight. "She says it's too complicated for me to understand."

"Oh."

"Maybe... maybe we can figure this out together," said Starlight. "We just need a detective hat and magnifying glass."

"Don't forget a notebook and pen," added Sunburst. Before more could be said, a woman's voice called out to Sunburst.

"Coming, mom!" called Sunburst. "Gotta run. I'll keep in mind what you said."

"Okay, Sunburst," said Starlight. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"You too."

Just then, Abacus walked over.

"Oh, aunt Abacus," exclaimed Starlight. "You won't believe the day I had today!"

"What happened today?" Starlight eagerly recounted the entire day she had at school.

"That's very interesting, Starlight."

"I can't wait to spend more time with Sunburst tomorrow," Starlight went on, and was running ahead of her aunt to the car.

"Alright, slow down, Starlight," said Abacus, "and let me unlock the car doors first." As soon as the two were in, they drove off, and Abacus felt worried inside.

 _What if she ends up like Cobalt Star?_ she thought to herself. _I mean, she already has a male friend. If they keep at it, they'll grow up falling for each other... Oh, what if Starlight dies giving birth to her kid?_

"Erm, Starlight..."

"Yes, aunt Abacus?"

"This Sunburst you met..." Abacus began. "Is he the only person you got to know?"

"So far," said Starlight. "There's two other kids about our age - Night Glider and Party Favor, and this older kid Double Diamond." Abacus gave a nod.

"It's important to get to know each of your classmates," Abacus went on. "You never know what may come up."

"You mean I'd have more chances at having play-dates with them?" Starlight said enthusiastically.

"That is... one possible thing that could come up," Abacus said simply.

"You mean there are others that could happen?" asked Starlight.

"Not everyone in the class is going to be rainbows and sunshine," Abacus went on. "Some may try to... use your kindness."

"They'd really do that?"

"I've seen this happen for myself," Abacus went on. "I've tried to be kind, but some people didn't response with kindness back."

"That's harsh," remarked Starlight.

"Yes, it was." Abacus paused for a moment. "I'm only trying to protect you, my little niece. You have to be on a lookout on for those who will use you, and which people genuinely want to be there for you."

"Thanks for the advice, aunt Abacus."

"I'm always here for you."

* * *

A few years went by, and during that time, Sunburst had begun to notice subtle changes in his best friend. Starlight, when she was once close with the likes of Night Glider, Double Diamond, Party Favor and even an older student Sugar Belle, started to distance herself from them.

"What's gotten into her?" asked Party Favor.

"I-I have no idea," sighed Double Diamond.

"She used to be a nice girl, and now she's become distant and cold towards us," said Night Glider.

"I'll see if I can talk to her," said Sunburst. "Maybe she's been having a rough time at home lately." When he got the chance, Sunburst went over to Starlight.

"Starlight," he began, "I'm worried for you."

"Why's that?" asked Starlight.

"You've been distancing yourself from Night Glider, Party Favor, Double Diamond, Sugar Belle, and goodness knows who else," Sunburst explained gently.

"Have I?" asked Starlight.

"I don't know what's gotten into you," Sunburst went on. "Have you been struggling at home?"

"Aunt Abacus has been very confusing lately," she sighed. "She tells me that some people are trying to use me for my kindness, but she also tells me that some people will genuinely be there, and I'm having a hard time figuring it out."

"Oh," said Sunburst. "I'm... sorry to hear that."

"Yeah," she sighed. "I just don't know who I'm supposed to listen to or anything..."

"Well, maybe you could... No, that's stupid."

"No, go on," Starlight encouraged.

"Erm... maybe try thinking for yourself?"

Starlight thought for a moment. It sounded like helpful advice, but she wasn't confident she'd be able to do it.

"I'll try," said Starlight, but she only sounded half-confident. Sunburst gave her a hug, and Starlight and Sunburst then went over to chat with the other students.

* * *

When she returned home, she once again told her aunt about her day and she was shocked.

"I thought you were distancing yourself from them," she cried.

"Well, Sugar Belle, Night Glider, Double Diamond and Party Favor are actually nice people," said Starlight. "I've decided to reconnect."

"You're making a terrible mistake, Starlight Glimmer," insisted Abacus indignantly.

"What do you mean?" asked Starlight.

"Actions can be deceiving," Abacus went on. "You never know when they may strike."

Now Starlight had a lot on her mind; she went to her room to consider this.

"Sunburst says I should think for myself, but aunt Abacus says that those students may strike." She put her hands on her forehead in frustration.

"Who will I end up believing in the end...?" The question pressured heavily on young Starlight until the fateful date of April 18, 2007, when Sunburst was hit by a drunk driver. His mother Stellar Flare, brokenhearted by her son's death, died shortly afterwards on the 21st.

"Oh, Sunburst..." Starlight was sobbing next to a photo of him and her, taken on their first play date together. "Why'd this have to happen to you?!" Of course, Sunburst could not reply in the photo. Abacus walked up to Starlight, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"These things happen," she sighed. She was sort of relieved that this happened, but she didn't dare show it to her niece.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2014**

Starlight dipped her head and packed one last thing - the same photo she had of herself and Sunburst.

"Right." She looked determined and jumped out the window. "I don't know where to go, but I need to get away from aunt Abacus. Maybe try to find Firelight."

Starlight had decided to leave the house in the dead of the night, in spite of the freezing weather.

"Good thing I put on my jacket," she said to herself as she ran. She also had her flashlight on to see where she was going. It was very quiet at night, with few people and cars out on the street, and yet to Starlight, it seemed rather peaceful and reassuring at the same time.

"Now," she wondered, "where would dad be living? Surely not far away. I might need to find a phone-book or something like that..."

But the real question on her mind was, where would she find a phone-book in the middle of the neighborhood? However, that thought escaped her mind when she bumped into someone with blue hair and blue eyes.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" the mysterious person snapped at her.

"Oh dear," cried Starlight. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking straight."

"I see..." the woman said to herself. "I guess we both have somewhere we have to be."

Starlight thought she saw the woman's eyes chipped with ice.

"Icy Heart...?"

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Sunburst was born November 28, 1995, the same say that** ** _The Cutie Re-Mark_** **aired.**

 **"Rockin' Robin" is the name of a 1958 single by Bobby Day. It was later re-recorded by Michael Jackson in 1972 for his solo debut album.**


	25. H&V11 - Run Devil Run

Now we're coming close to the climax of the sub-volume, and it will be up in three parts! Here's part one.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 11 - Run Devil Run (McCartney, 1999)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **FEBRUARY 27, 2014**

It was early in the morning when Vincent first awoke. The alarm hadn't gone off yet, but right now, Vincent was looking at Sunset as she slept.

 _She looks like such an angel when she's asleep,_ he thought to himself. Suddenly, he looked down her body and noticed that part of her pajama shirt was raised, partially exposing her midriff, and more importantly, her navel. With a cheeky smirk, Vincent brought his index finger closer to his girlfriend's partially exposed abdomen and began to poke around Sunset's navel.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Sunset shrieked with laughter as she woke up, feeling her boyfriend's finger inside her navel. But Vincent didn't stop there, for he started to tickle her belly as well.

"Tickle tickle tickle!" he cried playfully.

"You little stinker!" Sunset giggled. She reached out and began tickling Vincent back, making him laugh too. Their laughter attracted Celestia's attention.

"What on earth is going on?" she asked.

"Vincent was tickling me!" explained Sunset, covering her midriff with her pajama top in embarrassment. "And he started it by poking inside my belly button..."

"I was just giving her a little wake up call," insisted Vincent innocently.

"You're so mean sometimes," teased Sunset, pushing him back onto the bed. "It wasn't funny since you know my belly is ticklish."

"I know what that's like," said Celestia. "When Lullaby and I were younger, she'd show off her midriff a lot, especially during the summer months, and sometimes on the beach, she'd play with my navel when I didn't expect it."

"I guess that runs in the family," Sunset grinned at Vincent, who blushed madly.

"That being said," continued Celestia, "let's not make this a recurring thing each morning, okay?" Vincent nodded in understanding, and Sunset kissed him on the cheek.

* * *

After breakfast, Vincent and Sunset decided to head to school early.

"Mom sometimes allows me to do that," said Sunset. "You get some nice quiet time before the bell rings."

"And nice to have some company as well, right?" asked Vincent.

"I'd like that very much," smiled Sunset. "It gets a little lonely sometimes."

"Understood," said Vincent. The two raced off to catch the early train. When they got to the school, they decided to check out the library.

"I love relaxing here," said Sunset. "I can see why Twilight enjoys going there."

"Yeah, I see her often with Moon Dancer reading books during break," chuckled Vincent. "Those two are like sisters."

"Maybe Moon Dancer and Twilight are long lost relatives," said Sunset jokingly.

"They probably are," chuckled Vincent. The two quickly chose some books to read. Vincent picked out a book relating to rock music history.

"That's always fun to learn about," said Sunset.

"Yeah," said Vincent. "It's even great to learn about some details of our favorite songs." Sunset nodded, and looked through the shelves of books.

"What could I find?" she said to herself. She then stumbled across a how to draw book.

"This looks interesting," said Sunset. She slid it off the shelf and sat down beside Vincent.

"Planning to learn how to draw me like those French girls?" Vincent asked jokingly. This earned him a snorted chuckle and a playful shove by Sunset.

"Cheeky boy," she giggled.

"But you love me anyway," grinned Vincent.

"Of course I do," said Sunset.

"Is there a particular reason you checked that book out?" asked Vincent.

"I... I guess since I drew that picture of Thomas and Emily for you, I wanted to try more drawing," Sunset said shyly. "But there's no way I'd be as good as you."

"Oh, don't be so modest," laughed Vincent. "I think you'll do great."

"Aw, thanks," Sunset blushed. Then she leaned over and kissed her boyfriend on the lips.

"I'm so glad you decided to come with me this early," Sunset said sweetly.

"Same here," said Vincent.

* * *

Meanwhile, Starlight and Icy Heart were walking down the street. Since encountering the latter, the former had been living at the house Icy Heart and Noble Shield used to reside prior to Icy's arrest. Now the wanted murderer was wearing a disguise so nobody could recognize her.

"Starlight," said Icy Heart, "you say you never met your parents."

"Not my mother," said Starlight. "I have vague memories of my father, but they're not the most pleasant I've had."

"And, would they still be living, per chance?" Icy Heart went on.

"Aunt Abacus said that my mother died giving birth to me," said Starlight, "but I don't know where my father is, let alone if he's still alive."

"Hmm..." Icy Heart said, more to herself than anything. "How about I help you find your father?"

"You'd do that?" asked Starlight.

Icy Heart gave a nod. "But on one condition."

"What condition?"

"You help me get revenge on Sunset's family," she said. "She is your nemesis, am I correct?"

"Erm... yes, she is," said Starlight, albeit reluctantly.

"I figured as much," Icy Heart grinned. "And I've heard across the grapevine Sunset has a boyfriend now."

"Yes, and he goes by Vincent van Colt."

"I take you don't get along with him either," Icy Heart pressed.

"He's a right goody two shoes," snorted Starlight. "Acting like he was better than everyone else, putting people down just because they didn't live up to his standards. It was he and Sunset that caused me to get kicked out of that awful school cause they brainwashed their principal, Sunset's mother."

Icy Heart remained quiet; it seemed like Starlight didn't know Sunset's true birth mom.

"That Vincent... he's Lullaby Strings' kid, isn't he?" she asked at last.

"I do believe he is," Starlight said. "She was hit by a drunk driver and his brother barely survived."

"I think I heard something like that along the grapevine too." Icy Heart wasn't going to mention she had met the person who had hit Lullaby Strings in prison.

"Why are we bringing all of this up?" asked Starlight.

"I guess I have the curiosity of a cat," Icy Heart said simply.

"Okay then," said Starlight, choosing not to push the issue any further. "Anyway," she went on, "do you have any idea on where to find dad?"

"I don't have a clue," replied Icy Heart. "But that doesn't mean we can't look around together."

"Maybe use a phone book?" suggested Starlight.

"Good plan; let's see if there's one near us."

"Maybe they're in a phone booth," said Starlight. "But where can we find one?"

"Photo booths are usually at carnivals," Icy Heart replied. "Do you know if there's one about?"

"I meant a telephone booth."

"Oh... my mistake." Icy Heart sounded sheepish.

"Where can we find a telephone booth these days?" asked Starlight. "Most people just use a cell phone."

"Surely there's one around town," Icy Heart reassured. "Sometimes there's one outside of a milk-bar."

"You mean like that one over there?"

"Huh, how did I miss that?" Icy Heart scratched her head.

"Well, at least we can find a phone book inside," said Starlight. The two walked into the telephone booth and found the phone book inside. Starlight then flipped through the pages until she found names starting with "Fire".

"Hmm, not that, not that, no... ah, Firelight!" Starlight cried. "That's him." After putting in some money, dialed the number. After a few rings, she heard a voice.

" _Hello?_ "

"Is... this Firelight?" asked Starlight nervously.

" _This is. Who may I ask is calling?_ "

"It's your daughter... Starlight Glimmer." Firelight's voice seemed to get softer.

" _Starlight?_ "

"Dad...?"

" _I'd never thought I'd hear your voice again..._ " Firelight's voice was almost hoarse. " _You've grown up; how long has it been?_ "

"Long enough for me to have gone to high school," Starlight explained. "But to be more specific, I'd say fifteen or sixteen years."

" _Oh, Starlight..._ " sighed Firelight. " _I wish I could have been there with you._ "

"You've no idea how much given what I've been through," said Starlight.

" _Do you want to chat with me about it?_ " asked Firelight gently.

"I do," said Starlight. But before she could say more, Icy Heart took the receiver, called out "I'm sorry, but Starlight's not there," and hung up.

"What was that all about?!" shrieked Starlight. What was Firelight going to think of her now?

"You took too long on that phone," snapped Icy Heart. "We agreed that you'd find daddy, not go home to him."

"So I'm not allowed to see my own father?" argued Starlight.

"I've filled my end of the bargain, and now you have to fill out yours. Come on!"

Starlight shakily followed. _Oh, dad. If I could stay on the phone, I would... I wish you raised me instead of my aunt..._

* * *

Later that night, they arrived at Celestia's house. Starlight noticed that Icy had a gas can in her left hand.

"Here's the place," said Icy Heart.

"Looks rather nice from the outside," remarked Starlight.

"I suppose it does look nice," Icy said to herself.

"I wonder what it's like on the inside," Starlight pondered. "I guess I'll never know because..."

"Because they'll be nothing left but ashes," Icy Heart smirked. She lit a match, and before anyone could say "burn, baby, burn," she threw it where the gasoline had soaked.

"What have you done?!" cried Starlight.

"I've set the house on fire with Sunset and her new family inside," Icy Heart replied simply.

Starlight goggled in horror, and realized the last bit of what Icy Heart said. "New family... what do you mean, new family?"

"I'm shocked it took you this long to figure it out," said Icy Heart.

"Y-you... you're Sunset's birth mother, aren't you?" gasped Starlight.

"Yes." Icy Heart gave a malevolent grin, which made Starlight wince in fear.

* * *

Meanwhile, Sunset and Vincent were sleeping with Jiji between them, when suddenly, Sunset smelled something.

"It's late to be having a cookout..." she muttered in her sleep.

"Wait," said Vincent. "That's not a cookout..."

Sunset jumped up and looked outside her bedroom window. "Fire!"

And indeed it was; a fire had started outside. Sunset and Vincent raced out of the room (Vincent still holding Jiji).

"Solar Crystal, mom, dad!" cried Sunset, knocking on their bedroom doors. "There's a fire outside!"

"A fire?!" cried Solar Crystal from inside her room.

"Kids, let's hurry outside," called Celestia, getting her mobile phone. "I'll call the fire department." Sombra and Celestia ushered the teenagers toward the door first.

"Hurry!" called Sombra, and they raced out with no problems. Sombra followed, but before Celestia could, a spark of fire hit the floor near the door, and it blocked Celestia in.

"MOM!" Sunset sobbed. "No!"

Vincent saw tears begin to form in Sunset's eyes. Celestia had taken Sunset in as her own when Icy Heart abused her and killed Noble Shield, and her suffering had gone. Now it had come back in full force. He couldn't bear seeing her like this.

"You go to my family's house to tell the fire department," Vincent called. "I'll try and save Celestia." He handed Jiji to Sunset and charged into the house.

"Vincent, what are you doing?!" cried Solar Crystal.

"Something potentially stupid!" he replied, not looking back. Fortunately, the fire had attracted attention from some of the neighbors, and they started grabbing buckets of water.

"Come back!" called Sombra, gesturing for his daughters to go toward Vincent's house.

* * *

Back inside the burning house, Celestia was trying her best to find another way out. Unfortunately, she was on the verge of losing consciousness.

"Oh..." she coughed. "Must... be with... my... family." Then she heard a male voice calling out her name.

"Celestia!" It was Vincent.

"V-Vincent?" gasped Celestia. "What... are you... doing?"

"I've come to get you out of here," said Vincent.

"Y-you should be with the others..." Celestia coughed again. "You'll be... safe with them..."

"No!" said Vincent. "For Sunset's sake, I'm not leaving you behind."

"Y-you'd make a good son-in-law..." At this point, Celestia had lost consciousness. Wasting no further time, Vincent put Celestia on his back to try and carry her. Unfortunately, her tall frame made this a bit tricky.

 _I didn't think this through,_ he thought to himself as he headed for the nearest opening. Just then, he spotted a window in the dining room.

"That'll work," he said to himself. "But I can't do this alone..." He made his way to the window and poked his head out.

"Sombra!" he shouted. "I need your help to get Celestia out through the window!"

"Okay!" called Sombra, reaching his hands into the window. Vincent carefully positioned Celestia so Sombra could grab her from underneath her arms. Sombra gently pulled Celestia through the window, and Vincent followed after him.

"We may need to call an ambulance for her," said Sombra.

"You think she'll be alright?" asked Vincent.

"I hope so," said Sombra. "We better get to your house. Your dad will be able to call one up." Sombra and Vincent started trekking toward the latter's house, carrying Celestia between them. They heard the sound of sirens driving toward their street.

"Think we should probably stay there in case the department questions us?" asked Vincent.

"That may be a good idea," said Sombra. Both males heard a coughing from between them, followed by a groan.

"Wh... where am I...?"

"Celestia!" Sombra glanced at her, a tear running down his face. "You're awake."

"Of course I'm awake." Celestia tried to chuckle, but coughed some more instead.

"It's alright, dear," whispered Sombra. "We'll get you to a hospital, don't worry."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The first scene with Sunset and Vincent was originally written for chapter nine, but later became the start of chapter eleven. Similarly, some elements initially written for this chapter were held back for the next chapter.**

 **The phone booth/photo booth joke was an accident made when Rachel was helping me edit the story.**


	26. H&V12 - I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier

Part two of the final confrontation!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 12 - I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier (Lennon, 1971)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Meanwhile, Solar Crystal and Sunset had already rushed over to the Sentry household. Page Turner, Flash and Fictionary were already awoken by the smoke and had rushed outside.

"You saw the smoke too?" asked Sunset.

Page nodded. "I rang the fire department already."

"Mom did too," said Solar Crystal, "but now she's stuck in the house."

"Stay here, kids," said Page. "I'll go back and help her." As Page headed towards the McCracken household, Flash and the girls went inside the Sentry household.

"Wait!" cried Fictionary. "Where's Vincent and Sombra?"

"They're back at our house," said Sunset, "and Vincent went inside to try and save mom."

"Vincent did what?!" cried Flash. "We have to go and help him."

"But didn't dad say to stay here?" asked Fictionary.

"I know that, but what if Vincent is knocked unconscious or something?"

"I don't want to think about that," said Sunset. She was already feeling upset following the close call with the fire, so the quartet decided to stay inside the house for now.

* * *

Back outside, Starlight witnessed the terror going down with the fire.

"What have I partook in?" she whispered to herself. Nothing was worth it. She barely got to speak to her dad, found out Icy Heart was Sunset's abusive mother and worst of all, Sunset's family may have been condemned to death.

"Lovely, isn't it?" Icy Heart grinned. "I enjoy my revenge well done."

Starlight didn't know how to reply to this. Her world was in a blur.

"I had to do this," Icy Heart went on. "Noble Shield betrayed me with another woman, and she had their child. Sunset would always be with her precious daddy, and never spend time with me!"

"Wh-who was that woman," asked Starlight, "and what was her child's name?"

"The woman was Stellar Flare," growled Icy Heart. "As for the child... I have no idea."

"That was Sunburst!" Starlight cried, subconsciously putting it to the back of her mind that Sunburst and Sunset were half-siblings. "But who was the driver that killed him?"

"I had no choice," Icy Heart spat. "He was a constant mark of Noble Shield's betrayal."

Starlight recoiled as if she was stung by a bee, her face suddenly twisted by shock and grief. She felt herself frozen to the spot and looked straight at Icy Heart.

" _You_ killed Sunburst?" Starlight wailed, her eyes wide with disbelief. She almost thought she'd cry, but her shock slowly twisted away into rage.

" _How could you?!_ " she snapped. "Sunburst was my best friend growing up, and he was keeping me from trending a dark path."

"And yet here you are," Icy Heart remarked, "helping to get revenge on Sunset, her family and loved ones."

"I want no part in this any longer!" snapped Starlight. "I will not become a murderer!"

"We had a deal!" Icy Heart retorted.

"If I knew it involved killing innocent people," argued Starlight, "then I would've refused!"

"And how was Sunset innocent to you?" Icy Heart shot back. "You obviously hated her for something."

"Because..." Starlight glanced away. She had let herself become blind to her aunt's words.

"Whatever," snorted Icy Heart. "I don't care for your reasons. The last thing I need is a guilt-ridden dead-weight holding me back." Suddenly, without any further warning, she knocked Starlight out with her gas can.

* * *

Meanwhile, the fire department had succeeded in putting out the fire. While no serious damage had been done to the house, it was still quite a mess. Page had come by as well to see if any more help was needed.

"Do you need more water for the fire?" he asked one of the firefighters.

"No, we got this under control, Mr. Turner," said the chief firefighter.

"And my friend's daughters have said their mom was inside the building, as well as my son," Page went on.

"Well, they're fine right now," said the chief. "They're being treated to be on the safe side."

"Can I see them?" Page asked. The chief agreed to lead Page to where Vincent and Celestia were with other firefighters.

"Dad," Vincent called, glancing over. "I'm so glad to see you."

"How are you feeling, Vincent?"

"A bit choked, but otherwise alright," his stepson replied. Page also saw Celestia with Sombra.

"Did you really go in there to save her?" Page asked Vincent.

"He did," replied Sombra on Vincent's behalf. "Was rather stupid of him to do so, but I'm also glad he did. I can't think of life without her again."

"Oh, Vincent," Page affectionately rubbed his stepson's head. "Next time, leave rescuing people in burning buildings to the professionals."

"Then again, he'll do anything to protect those he cares about," said Celestia to Sombra.

"He sure does," Sombra agreed. "Though, one thing I don't know; how did this fire start?"

"I'm not sure," said Celestia. "We didn't leave anything on when we went to bed."

"The fire came from outside the house," Sombra agreed. "So it wasn't a stove or anything."

"What if," Vincent suggested, "that was Icy Heart wanting to kill us?"

"I... didn't see her out here," Celestia said slowly.

"Nor did I," said Sombra.

"A few days ago," explained Vincent, "she broke out of jail, and the house recently caught fire. This is not a coincidence."

"It does seem like the best explanation," said Celestia.

"Yes, we've heard about a criminal on the loose," said one of the firefighters. "Why would she target you lot in particular?"

"Prior to her arrest, Icy Heart was Sunset Shimmer's mother," said Vincent, and recounted everything about the insane woman's downfall from his perspective.

"Basically," he concluded, "this could be Icy wanting revenge on those who put her behind bars."

"We'll keep a lookout for her," said the firefighter.

* * *

Back at the Sentry household, Flash and the girls were trying to remain calm. Sunset was still feeling shaken.

"Oh, I hope Vincent and mom make it out okay..." she fretted.

"Me too," said Solar Crystal.

"They just gotta be," said Fictionary. "Should we go and ask the fire brigade?"

"I don't think we should," said Flash. "We'll know when they tell us."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"That's gotta be one of the firefighters," Fictionary bolted toward the door.

"Fictionary, wait!" cried Flash, bolting after her. Fictionary opened the door.

"Oh, are Vincent and Celestia..." Fictionary broke off as she saw icy blue eyes staring at her. With a scream, Fictionary frantically tried to close the door, but Icy Heart stopped it with her foot. Icy Heart then forcefully grabbed Fictionary's arm.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" she sneered. "Vincent's baby half-sister, no doubt."

"You leave her alone, you insane bitch!" Flash yelled. But Icy Heart yanked Fictionary along, and slammed the door in Flash's face. Flash opened the door again and quickly ran off after them.

"Flash, what's happening?" called Solar Crystal, she and Sunset racing to catch up with him.

"It's Fictionary!" he cried. "Icy Heart just came and kidnapped her!"

"What?!" Sunset shrieked. "Oh, which way did Icy Heart go?"

"I think she must've gone to your previous home," said Flash. "From what I understand, it hadn't been used since Icy Heart's arrest."

"I spent so much time away from there, I don't know where that is anymore," sighed Sunset. "What are we going to do now?"

"Should we call Night Light and Shining Armor?" asked Solar Crystal. "Maybe they can help track Icy Heart down."

"We should also let Vincent know," added Flash. "Knowing how much he cares for Fictionary, he won't be happy when he hears she's been kidnapped."

"Right," Sunset agreed, and watched as Flash got out his mobile phone to call.

" _Hello?_ " yawned a sleepy voice. " _Bit early in the morning to go to the book shop, Flash._ "

"Sorry, Twilight," said Flash, "but we're not heading to the book shop. You know my sister Fictionary?"

" _Of course,_ " said Twilight. " _She's a real dear from what you guys tell me. Why?_ "

"She's been kidnapped by escaped prisoner Icy Heart," explained Flash, and told her everything.

" _Oh, good grief!_ " cried Twilight.

* * *

In her bedroom, Twilight jumped out, and still hanging onto her phone, rushed to her parents' room, knocking on their door.

"Mom, dad, Fictionary's been kidnapped by Icy Heart!"

"Icy Heart's escaped and kidnapped Fictionary?!" Night Light wasted no time getting his police stuff together.

"I'll call up Shining Armor and let him know," Twilight Velvet quickly got out her own mobile phone and suited action to word.

* * *

" _Dad and Shining Armor will be with you soon,_ " Twilight reported to Flash on the phone.

"That's good to hear," said Flash. "I hope they find Fictionary before she..."

" _Don't think like that, Flash,_ " Twilight said firmly. " _I believe she'll be fine._ "

"Alright," nodded Flash. "Thanks for your help." While Flash was speaking to Twilight on the phone, Solar Crystal and Sunset had called Vincent about it as well.

"Vincent, urgent news," said Sunset. "Fictionary's been kidnapped."

" _No one kidnaps my sister and gets away with it!_ " growled Vincent. " _Are you still at the house?_ "

"Yeah," said Sunset. "We're waiting for Night Light and Shining Armor to turn up."

" _I'll be right there._ "

* * *

"Let's go and get your sister back," Page agreed. "Sombra, will you and Celestia be all right without us until we get back?"

"Yeah, we'll be okay," said Celestia. "I'm doing better right now."

Father and son took off to regroup with Flash and the girls, but while racing back to their house, they came across a girl with purple and green hair knocked out.

"Wait, who's that?" asked Page.

"That's... Starlight Glimmer," gasped Vincent. "What's she doing here?" Cautiously, he approached the unconscious girl's body.

"What's happened to her?" asked Page worriedly.

"I don't know," said Vincent, "but somehow, we're gonna have to get answers."

"How do we do that?" Page wondered. "She's knocked out."

Vincent carefully approached Starlight and slightly shook her. The girl groaned as she felt his touch.

"Wh... where am I?" she asked, opening her eyes.

"You're outside of Sunset's house and were knocked out," Vincent explained. "But what were you doing out there?"

"Icy Heart brought me here," explained Starlight. "She said I had to help her since she helped me find my father."

"You helped Icy Heart set fire to Celestia's house?!" gasped Page.

"Of course not!" objected Starlight. "I may have been a bully, but I draw the line at murder! When I tried to back out of it, she knocked me out with a gas can, calling me dead-weight."

"Icy Heart had gone insane long before now," Page sighed. "That's why she was in jail and Celestia became Sunset's mum."

"Well, one way or another," said Vincent, "we'll find her and make her pay."

"I want to help as well," added Starlight. "She murdered my best friend Sunburst when we were kids, and I want revenge! Oh, and Sunburst and Sunset are half-siblings."

"Sunburst?" asked Vincent, confused. "Sunset's half-sibling? What are you talking about, Starlight?"

"Sunburst was my best friend as a child," explained Starlight. "From what I was told, he was also Noble Shield's son with another woman."

"I wonder why Noble Shield was with another woman..." Vincent asked to himself.

"I think he must've had an affair behind Icy's back," said Starlight.

"This night keeps getting stranger," said Vincent. "Sunset ought to know about this."

"Back to the house," said Page.

* * *

When they got back to the Sentry House, they found Flash, Sunset and Solar Crystal waiting for them. None of them were pleased when they saw Starlight with Vincent and Page.

"Why is she with you?" asked Sunset incredulously. Starlight winced, but to be fair, she couldn't blame Sunset for being angry with her.

"Don't worry, she's not here to cause trouble again," explained Vincent. "She wants to help stop Icy Heart."

"She does?" asked Solar Crystal, surprised.

Starlight then told them everything about Icy's plot, and how Sunburst was Sunset's half-brother. Sunset thought she'd faint upon hearing the bombshell that she had a half-brother no one knew about.

"How did I not know?" she cried. "I... I could have had two siblings."

"But then, you wouldn't be part of our family," Solar pointed out. "I'd have no one to talk to."

"That's true," Sunset realized. Had she known about Sunburst being her half-brother, and if he and his mother were still alive, she would have lived with them after her birth mother was put in prison.

"I knew Icy Heart was a bully," continued Sunset, "but I never knew she'd sink to this level. But she could be anywhere in Rainbow Falls."

"I think I might know where they are," said Starlight.

"Where do you think?" asked Flash. "She's got mine and Vincent's sister, Fictionary."

"In Icy Heart's old house. I've been there before."

"As in, my childhood home?" asked Sunset. "Bit of a long story; I hadn't been there since Icy Heart was arrested."

"I remember where it is," said Starlight.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Flash. "We gotta save Fictionary before Icy Heart tries to kill her too!"

"Solar Crystal," said Page, "you go back to your parents."

"Should I come with her as well?" asked Sunset. "She is my younger sister."

"I'll be okay," said Solar. "You should probably go with them and... Starlight," she added, glaring at the purple haired girl, "so you can confront Icy Heart."

"Right then."

The group split and Page and his kids were soon joined by Night Light and Shining Armor.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Rachel: Starlight figuring out that Icy Heart killed Sunburst was based off of Yellowfang realizing that Brokenstar killed Raggedstar in the** _ **Warrior Cats**_ book, _**Into The Wild**_.


	27. H&V13 - Beware of Darkness

Here it is; the climax of _Heroes and Villains_! I should warn you there is a brief moment of swearing in the chapter, but it's only for one instance.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 13 - Beware of Darkness (Harrison, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

At Icy Heart's house, Fictionary was tied up in one of the upstairs rooms, and the cruel-hearted woman was badly abusing her.

"Ouch!" she yelped as she was hit in her arm.

"Shut up, you pathetic little runt," snarled Icy Heart and smacked the thirteen-year-old upside the head.

"What do you want with me?" begged Fictionary. "What did I ever do to you?"

"I intend to make you my protege," explained Icy Heart. "But in order to do so, I need to break your will and crush your spirits."

"I will never fall to your demands!" snapped Fictionary. "My brothers and father will save me."

"Half-brothers..." Icy Heart muttered.

"Well, either way! Point is, they'll be looking for me, and when they do, you're gonna be in big trouble!"

"Oh, really?" Icy Heart smirked. "Haven't you heard? Your pathetic half-brother Vincent perished in the fire that also took his girlfriend's family."

"T-that's not true," Fictionary stuttered. "Vincent's gotta be alright..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Starlight was leading her allies to the house.

"We'll get her back behind bars," said Night Light determinedly.

"This path feels familiar," said Sunset to herself.

"We must be going the right way then," Flash realized.

"Yeah," said Vincent, trying to hold back a yawn. It was far too early to be up, he figured. Or was it too late at night?

"What even _is_ the time anyway?" Starlight asked aloud.

"About 4:30 in the morning," said Shining Armor. "And I'm not at the station until 8:00; I'm gonna need more coffee than usual."

"The coffee's going to have to wait, son," said Night Light. "We have a criminal on the loose."

Eventually, the rescue team showed up outside of Sunset's childhood home.

"Gosh..." sighed Sunset. "Seems like Icy Heart didn't bother to fix the place up when she moved back in."

"Having only escaped for a few days," said Flash, "she probably didn't have the time. She's a better schemer than she is a renovator."

Just then, the group heard a high-pitched shriek coming from the house.

"HELP!" Vincent's blood ran cold when he recognized that voice.

"That's Fictionary!" he cried. "What kind of horrible thing is Icy Heart doing to her?!" Sunset's heart pounded hard, remembering what Icy Heart did to her.

"We have to stop this!"

"We have to think ahead," said Flash. "Vincent, you can't just run in and demand that Icy Heart let Fictionary go like that. She's an unpredictable woman, and could stab you faster than you can say 'Stairway to Heaven'."

"What do you think we should do?" Sunset turned to Night Light and Shining Armor.

"I think I've got a good one," said Shining Armor, and gathered the others around in a circle to explain his plan.

* * *

Back inside, Fictionary hid herself among an old blanket and a plush dog Noble Shield gave Sunset when she was little that had gotten lost when Sunset was running away.

"Poor little thing's missing an ear..." Fictionary said to herself.

"Where is that little brat?" Icy Heart muttered, walking right past the blanket without noticing. Earlier, Fictionary had managed to escape from Icy Heart, and now, the psychotic woman was trying to find her.

"Come on out, wherever you are!" snapped Icy Heart.

 _I gotta find a way to sneak past her,_ Fictionary thought to herself. _If I don't act, I'll be done for._ She glanced at the blanket she had.

 _Maybe I can use that and move toward the door_.

While putting the blanket on top of herself, Fictionary slipped behind the rundown furniture.

"If anyone decides to move here," she said to herself, "I hope they give it a makeover." She then saw a broken window with the rescue party outside.

"Oh, Vincent looks so upset," she cried softly, making a mental note he was alive. "Maybe this will let him know I'm alive."

She threw the plush dog she found out the window. The plush dog hit Starlight on the head before falling to the ground.

"What's this?" she asked.

"Waggles!" Sunset picked up the toy and hugged it. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"I didn't know you had a stuffed dog when you were little," said Vincent. "Who threw this at us?"

Sunset then looked and found a bit of paper with an "F" written on it.

"What could that be?" she said, picking it up.

"Wait, that handwriting..." Vincent looked carefully.

"Fictionary," Flash realized. "She's still alive."

"Thank goodness for that," said Vincent, almost crying in relieved joy.

"It seems like she's trying to escape on her own," said Starlight. "That's impressive."

"I just hope she can get out before Icy Heart catches her," said Flash anxiously.

"We have to put our plan into action now," Night Light said firmly. "You all know what to do, right?" The group nodded in agreement.

* * *

Night Light, Sunset, Starlight and Page Turner went around the front to block off the door, while Flash, Vincent and Shining Armor went to the back door.

"Do you think Fictionary will try coming out from either door?" asked Vincent.

"I don't know which way she was going," said Flash. "I hope she will be alright."

Their answer would come sooner than they had expected; with a creaking noise, the back door opened, and a blanket came out with someone underneath.

"Who's that under the blanket?" Vincent chuckled as he pulled it off.

"Vincent, Flash!" cried Fictionary, hugging both her brothers tightly. "I knew you'd come to save me!"

"It's good to see you too, little sis," smiled Flash. "But still, what you did was very dangerous."

"I thought the person at the door was one of the firefighters telling us that Vincent and Celestia were okay..." she sighed.

"Well, I'm alright now, as is Celestia," said Vincent.

"That's a relief," said Fictionary. "Icy Heart said you died in the fire, Vincent, and Celestia's family."

"She thought wrong," said Vincent. "We just managed to escape."

"Yes, Sunset and Solar got to our house," Fictionary remembered. "I don't know how I managed to forget."

"It's okay," said Shining Armor reassuringly. "You're safe with us."

"Let's head back to the front where the others are," said Vincent. The group did so, Fictionary sticking closely to Vincent and Flash.

* * *

As soon as the group rounded the corner, Sunset rushed over to her.

"Fictionary!" she cried, giving her a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay."

"Same here," said Fictionary. "Oh, and is this blanket yours?" She was still holding onto the blanket she'd used to hide from Icy Heart.

"Oh, yes, it was," Sunset remembered. "It was similar to the one we cuddled under when we were babies, Vincent, look."

"Wow," said Vincent.

"You knew each other when you were babies?" Starlight was surprised.

"That we did," said Sunset.

"That's quite a long time..." Starlight remarked. "I didn't know Sunburst until elementary school..." She trailed off after mentioning Sunburst's name; memories came flooding back at a rapid rate, from being raised full time by Abacus Cinch, to first meeting Sunburst, to witnessing Sunburst's death, to meeting Trixie, to first bullying Sunset alongside Trixie, to being exposed for her bullying, all the way up to her expulsion and right now.

Without warning, Starlight fell to her knees and began sobbing loudly.

"What have I become?" she wailed. Sunset glanced over toward Starlight, a wave of empathy coming off of her.

"You've fallen into a dark trap I nearly did..." she whispered. For seven years, Sunset thought Starlight was an irredeemable bully, but seeing her former enemy like that, she realized that they were no different to each other.

"I'm super sorry, Sunset," Starlight sobbed. "You didn't deserve the torment I put you through..."

"Starlight," Sunset said gently, "I could speak to mom about letting you come back to Canterlot High. We could get you to live with your dad and we can all start anew."

"Y... you'd do all that for me?" Starlight sniffled.

Sunset nodded. "You made some bad choices, but you just need help to make the right ones."

For the first time, Starlight and Sunset exchanged a genuine smile. _Maybe,_ Starlight thought, _I can make things right. I think I'll work on getting Trixie's trust back next..._

"I say we get out of here now," said Page.

"We can't," protested Night Light. "Not so long as Icy Heart is roaming free."

"He's right," said Shining Armor. "If we just bail out and leave her here, her reign of terror will never end. She'll just keep attacking innocent people."

"As much as I hate to admit it," sighed Sunset, "they're right. We can't leave until she's been brought to justice."

No sooner did Sunset say that when Icy Heart shot out of the front door, enraged.

"Where is that little protege of mine?!" she snarled. Then she looked to find Sunset and Vincent alive and well.

"Wha... I... _HOW THE FUCK DID YOU SURVIVE?!_ " Icy Heart screamed. Vincent had to cover Fictionary's ears before Icy delivered the profane word.

"Maybe it was, I don't know, the fire brigade showing up," Sunset remarked.

"And that we managed to get out as soon as we could," Vincent added.

"I can't believe this!" Icy Heart growled. "Just when I thought I was rid of you, you're still alive!" She then saw Starlight among the group. "And I thought you were out cold!"

"Then perhaps it was a good thing Vincent found me, you back-stabbing murderer!" Starlight retorted.

"I had my reasons for it," Icy Heart snapped back. "Noble Shield betrayed me with that Stellar Flare and son Sunburst and Sunset would never want to hang out with me. I was so underappreciated!"

"No, _I_ wanted to spend time with you," snapped Sunset, "but you brushed me off like I was nothing! You abused me because you were jealous of me! If you couldn't have Noble Shield, then nobody could!"

"Then how do you explain Sunburst?"

"That was an accident," insisted Sunset. "How was he expected to know I had a half-sibling?"

"Not only did you try to destroy Sunset's new family," added Vincent, "but you even had the nerve to attack mine as well by kidnapping Fictionary! What did she do to deserve that?!"

"I bet she was too insane to have a good reason," added Fictionary.

"Shut up!" snapped Icy Heart. She then pulled a knife from her pocket and tried to stab those present, but Night Light and Shining Armor get their guns out of their belts to threaten Icy Heart.

"A knife in a gun fight?" asked Shining Armor. "Big mistake, sister."

Icy Heart jumped back. _Not guns!_ she thought to herself. _Anything but_ that _!_

"You may as well give yourself up, Icy Heart," added Night Light. "You can't take on all of us at once. You are going back to prison for the rest of your life."

"Maybe not prison, father," said Shining Armor. "She should be in a mental asylum!"

"I think Whiplash should have killed her," said Flash.

"I'm with you on that," said Sunset.

"Icy Heart is a cruel monster," agreed Vincent. "She _deserves_ to die."

Hearing the insults about her made Icy Heart scream in rage. Starlight could sense that she was about to attack; she knew that Sunset had forgiven her, and she could be reunited with Firelight, the father she barely got to know. But on the other hand, Icy Heart was determined and wouldn't stop until she killed everyone Sunset knew and loved.

So, without any warning, she dove forward and tackled Icy Heart to the ground. Icy Heart tried to fight off Starlight, but the teenage girl would not give up. In the struggling fight, the two started rolling down the hill.

" _YOU INTERFERING, STUPID LITTLE BITCH_!" Icy Heart yelled as both rolled along the ground. " _I'LL KILL YOU FIRST_!"

"Not on your life, you monster!" snapped Starlight. "I'm taking you down with me!"

Towards the end of the hill was a cliff. They rolled off, but Icy Heart managed to grab onto the ledge with both her arms. Starlight, however, grabbed one of her legs, weighing her down.

"Let go of me, you wretched brat!" growled Icy Heart, trying to kick Starlight loose.

"Icy Heart," Starlight spoke in a deadly serious tone, "the darkest pit of Hell has opened to swallow you whole, so don't keep the Devil waiting!"

Sunset had been chasing after the two, wondering why Starlight would think of doing it. Didn't she have much to live for?

"Starlight!" cried Sunset. "Please, you can come back to CHS, reunite with your dad and start a new path. I'll help you up."

"I'm sorry, Sunset," called Starlight, tears in her eyes, "but you're going to have to move on without me. Tell my father I'm sorry I couldn't come home." Then she opened her mouth wide and bit into Icy Heart's leg.

Screaming in pain, Icy Heart unintentionally let go of the edge, causing her and Starlight to fall. The latter closed her eyes in acceptance and waited for the impending death. Sunburst's death was avenged, and she had made peace with her former rival. That was all that mattered to her. As she crashed to the ground, she looked up at the sky one last time, and gave way to the dizzying blackness.

" _STARLIGHT!_ " Sunset sobbed from above. " _NOOOOO! OH, PLEASE, NO!_...why did Starlight have to die with Icy Heart? She was starting to become so nice..." Sunset was so overwhelmed with grief, she nearly fell off the cliff by fainting. Luckily, Vincent and Flash rushed over and grabbed her just in time.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Rachel: Waggles is based off a toy dog I used to have.**

 **Starlight and Icy Heart were supposed to perish in the fire, but since the fire was already out in a previous chapter, that was out of the question.**


	28. H&V14 - Junk

And now we reached the final chapter of _Heroes and Villains_. A very bittersweet one at that. I'd like to point out that right now, the series is going on a temporary hiatus so I can focus on other projects. Mostly, I'm working on my online review series _The Emotions' Corner_ as well as an alternate history series, _Strawberry Peppers_. _Art of a Sun's Love_ will resume in March 2019.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 2 -** ** _Heroes and Villains_**

 **Chapter 14 - Junk (McCartney, 1999)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer, James Riddle, and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

"Gee golly, she's lookin' a bit sick raht there."

"Well, what do you expect? She must've received quite the fright there."

"What was it that frightened her?"

"Hey, give it a rest, you lot! Give her a bit of space, will ya?"

Sunset groaned as she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was the worried faces of many of her friends looking at her.

"Wh... where am I?" asked Sunset.

"You're in our house, Sunset," said Vincent. "After you passed out, we brought you here and laid you on my bed to rest from the shock of Starlight's death."

"Weren't you at school today?" asked Sunset.

"No," said Vincent. "Dad phoned ahead that we would absent from school because of tonight's... erm, excitement, to put it mildly."

"When we heard about what happened from Vincent on the phone," said Comet Tail, "we all came over after school to see if you were alright."

"Is it true that Starlight Glimmer's... dead?" asked Fluttershy.

Sunset sighed heavily before looking back up.

"Yes," she admitted. "She is."

"I'd say good riddance-" Rainbow Dash began.

"She's better than you think!" scolded Sunset. "Starlight may have made my life miserable before, but she sacrificed herself to protect us from my psychopathic mother!"

Hearing this made the group lower their heads. It would seem their negative thoughts of Starlight had melted away, especially when they learned about Sunburst.

"Oh, poor Starlight and Sunburst," gasped Song Cue. "Starlight could have had a good life, and Sunburst didn't tap into his full potential."

"I just wish we had helped her when we had the chance," said Pinkie.

"How did we not see this in her?" asked Fluttershy, tears welling up in her eyes.

"I think she was blinded and fell into the wrong crowd," said Twilight.

"It does seem to be the case," Rainbow agreed.

"How's mom taking this?" asked Sunset. Her question was answered as Celestia walked in with Sombra.

"Oh, my baby girl," she sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"A bit tired," Sunset admitted. "Did aunt Luna fill in as principal?"

"She did," she said. "Cadance decided to fill in as vice-principal."

"I never knew she was part of the staff," said Vincent.

Celestia chuckled. "She's relatively new, but has a positive reception among the students she has met."

"Of course she does," smiled Twilight. "She's been around kids for a lot of her life. I should know."

"Yes, but on a more serious note," said Celestia, "I should have noticed something wasn't right with Starlight's upbringing. I could have stopped this..."

"Celie..." Sombra whispered. "Starlight wasn't open about her family until her final moments. There's no way we could have known she was abused."

"We all make mistakes," Sunset went on. "Starlight made a lot of them, but she turned around in the end."

"As did you," said Vincent.

"Maybe, if Sunburst had lived, he would have had the same effect on Starlight that you did on me..." Sunset said quietly. "It was almost like Starlight and I were lost sisters in a sense..."

"Maybe in another world, things work out," said Rarity.

"It's probably a world where Icy Heart died after Sunset was born," Flash noted.

"I guess that would probably be the best case scenario," Math Equation noted. "But... would Celestia be Sunset's adopted mother in that timeline?"

"And would she and I have been as close as we are?" added Vincent.

"Well, Lullaby and I were great friends growing up," Celestia noted, "so I wouldn't be surprised if you got to know me if she invited me to your house or something."

"And as much as I love Noble Shield as my father," said Sunset glancing over at Celestia and Sombra, "I don't think I could imagine being without you two as my parents.

"Nor could we picture life without you," agreed Sombra.

"And I would be an only child," said Solar. "I couldn't be without a sister like you. Well, there's my cousin Nyx, but still."

"Yeah, you two have been amazing," Sunset replied. "I don't know how Blueblood could be related to you guys."

"I couldn't believe it myself when I went out with him back at the 2009 Fall Formal," Rarity scoffed. "Utter disaster at it's finest."

"I'm sorry, Rarity," said Math. "I wish I'd known about it earlier."

"Oh, don't worry, darling," Rarity said sweetly. "At least things are better now."

"Maybe there's an alternate timeline with you at the Formal chewing Blueblood out," Song Cue thought out loud. "And then Flash and Vincent end up with the girls they wanted to go out with come 2011."

"Though some things might be worse off than how they actually turned out," Vincent pointed out.

"Yeah, there's still a chance that weird thing with Flitter and I could still spring up, and this time, no one else would share their disappointment with us," Comet remarked. "I don't even want to think about what effects that could have on everybody."

"While this talk about alternate timelines is interesting," said Twilight, "we can't change what actually happened. Starlight died honorably, and we should pay our respects to her."

"Indeed," said Celestia. "In fact, the flag at school was lowered in respect for her."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Sunset.

* * *

 **MARCH 2, 2014**

That Sunday, the group and many of their peers were paying their respects to Starlight and what she did in her final moments. Vincent thought about how Starlight could never connect with her dad, just as he never got a chance to connect with Flame Barrier. And then, he thought back to his mother being lost in that car accident.

"Erm, Celestia?" he asked quietly, but loud enough so she heard him.

"Yes, Vincent?" Celestia replied, also keeping her voice low.

"You don't mind me talking about something personal, do you?"

"Of course not," Celestia reassured. "What is on your mind, Vincent?"

"Well," he began, "it's hard to explain. I loved my mom so much. She always treated me very well growing up, and since her death... I've felt like there was a hole in my heart I was never able to fix. But since that day," he looked up at Celestia, "you seemed to fill the role of being a mother figure without even trying."

Celestia stared at Vincent for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

"I can't say I'm surprised," she spoke. "But if I became your mother figure, I would also potentially end up being your mother-in-law further down the track." She glanced over at Sunset, who was beside Sombra and Solar Crystal.

"You being my mother and mother-in-law at the same time... okay, that would be awkward." Vincent placed his hand on his head, mentally picturing the twisted family tree.

"Was there a problem with Cindy?" asked Celestia.

"I... haven't known her that long," Vincent admitted. "I only recently found out Scootaloo and First Base were my half siblings, Fictionary too for that matter. It was a lot for all of us, Flash included, to take it all in."

"Maybe you can use this time to get to know Cindy better," Celestia told Vincent. "She seems very nice, from what I've seen."

"I suppose I should," said Vincent. "I kinda feel like I'd been ungrateful to her."

"You can start after this service is over," Celestia went on.

"Thank you, Celestia," said Vincent quietly. "I needed that."

* * *

Meanwhile, Firelight, who had been informed about what had happened, was looking over at Starlight's body in the coffin.

"My baby girl..." he whispered. "I wish I could have helped raise you..."

"We're really sorry about her demise, Mr. Glimmer," said Sunset.

"It's not your fault, Miss Shimmer," he replied. "You tried to stop her. That damned witch is responsible for her death."

"I'm guessing you mean Starlight's aunt?" Sunset questioned.

"Yes." Firelight and Sunset looked over at Abacus Cinch, looking away and not speaking to anybody.

"She wasn't a very good principal at Canterlot High either," Sunset went on.

"Why does that not surprise me?" scoffed Firelight. "She hates children."

"Then why didn't she leave Starlight in your care in the first place?" Sunset asked.

"Starlight's grandparents blackmailed me and had a restraining order so I couldn't go near her," sighed Firelight sadly.

"What's become of them?"

"They've likely rotted away to death in prison. I say good riddance to bad rubbish."

"I can say the same thing about Icy Heart," Sunset replied. "She was very abusive to me growing up."

"You're lucky to have found some new parents," said Firelight. "The McCrackens seem to treat you well."

"If it wasn't for them," said Sunset, "I'd probably be dead or in an orphanage."

"You're shaping up to be a fine young woman," smiled Firelight. "Keep up the good work."

"Thanks," Sunset smiled in return. "I hope you'll be alright."

"Thank you." Firelight still had a sad look in his eye, as if he didn't know how to make things right. Deep down, Sunset was unsure if he would recover emotionally from the trauma.

* * *

Later, following the service, Vincent saw Cindy with Scootaloo and First Base.

"Heya, Vincent," called Scootaloo.

"Hi there, little sister," said Vincent. "Little brother."

"H-hello," waved First Base shyly.

"Did you want to speak with us for something?" asked Cindy.

"I was kinda thinking," Vincent said slowly, "about my mom Lullaby Strings in the car accident."

"What about her?" asked Scootaloo.

"I've been wondering what it would be like to have a mother figure in my life again," Vincent continued. "I know I haven't really spoken to you, Cindy, but... could we give it a try?"

"Well, every relationship starts somewhere, dear," said Cindy. "Maybe you, Flash, Fictionary and Page Turner can join us for ice cream later on."

"That would be fun," smiled Vincent.

"Yay, ice cream!" grinned Fictionary, who had overheard the conversation. "Maybe I'll have a butterscotch sweet on mine."

"Three guesses why," said Vincent to his other half-siblings.

"Fictionary has a crush!" sang Scootaloo cheekily.

"So do you two," Fictionary retorted.

"N-no, I don't." Scootaloo blushed bright red. "Er, First Base, help me out here."

But it was no good, First Base had fainted into his mother's arms.

Not far away from the group, Butterscotch was blushing deeply when he heard Fictionary mention she wanted butterscotch sweets on her ice cream. He was with Song Cue, Comet Tail, Orange Sherbet, Heartsong, Fluttershy and Zephyr Breeze.

"Aww, she's such a sweetheart," he gushed. "I wouldn't have gotten so far if it wasn't for her."

"I'm also glad to have a friend like her," added Heartsong.

"I think he's got more than a friend in her," giggled Fluttershy. "He's got a crush!"

"They are made for one another," said Comet.

"I'll say they are," giggled Heartsong.

Butterscotch felt hot with shyness as his family (future cousin-in-law, in Comet's case) playfully teased him.

"Aww, Butterscotch," cooed Sunset. "You really like Fictionary, don't you?"

"More than anything," said Butterscotch. "Does Vincent know?"

"He knows a spark there when he sees it," chuckled Sunset. "And by the looks of things, I think he approves."

"Glad to hear that," said Butterscotch. "You know, I guess you and I are somewhat alike, Sunset. We had abusive parents, but they were put behind bars, and our lovers helped us through those times."

"That's true," said Sunset. "Sorry for bringing it up, but how did you respond to Scattered Marbles' death?"

"I was relieved to hear he wouldn't be harming me again," said Butterscotch. "But... beaten to death?"

"I thought Tigerstar's death was brutal..." sighed Song Cue.

"Er, actually, I think Tigerstar's death was worse," Heartsong said causally.

"Either way," said Butterscotch, "I don't think he deserved that."

"No, indeed," said Orange Sherbet.

"I wouldn't wish that death upon my worst enemy," agreed Zephyr.

Fluttershy nodded before remembering something else. "Rocky Ripple and Boomer are still out there though."

"You think they might change for the better?" asked Heartsong.

"I don't think Boomer's going to take the fact his dad died too well..." Butterscotch said. The others were not surprised by Butterscotch referring to him as just Boomer's dad.

"And Rocky Ripple was always close with his uncle," added Zephyr. "But he wasn't at the zoo when Aunt Ivy died and Butterscotch was injured."

"I hope he changes for the better," said Orange. "If not, then... I don't want to think about that."

"I'm not holding my breath," sighed Heartsong.

* * *

Later on, Sunset found herself at Sunburst's grave. It was resting by Starlight's newly placed grave.

"Oh, Sunburst," Sunset sighed. "I would have loved to get to know you as a brother."

"Your brother?"

Sunset looked up to see Trixie walking over to pay her respects to Starlight.

"Well, half-brother, technically," said Sunset. "I'm not sure why dad never told me... or if he even knew about Sunburst."

"I understand," sighed Trixie. "I think you two would have gotten along well."

"Not sure how Vincent would've felt," said Sunset.

"Oh, come now," said Trixie. "Sunburst would have been your brother. He and Vincent would have gotten along just fine."

"I kinda thought Sunburst would have been protective of me or something," Sunset explained with a slight chuckle. "Vincent would have a hard time trying to show him that he is a good match for me."

"Oh, I see," said Trixie.

"Do you think you could have turned things around with Starlight, had she not sacrificed herself?" asked Sunset.

"I think I would have," Trixie said quietly. "But... it probably would have taken time." She gave a slow blink. "Do you think maybe, we could work towards becoming friends?"

"Sure," said Sunset at last.

Trixie gave a nod. "Thank you."

* * *

 **AUGUST 7, 2038**

"Wow..." Dawn gasped. "I wouldn't have guessed Starlight's past was so traumatic."

"Nor did we," Vincent admitted. "Maybe if we'd found out earlier, she could still be with us."

"And with Trixie, did you guys eventually become close?" asked Dawn.

"In the last few months of the school year," said Sunset, "it was almost as if we'd never been enemies."

"That's great to hear," smiled Dawn. "Did you guys bond over ice skating like Song Cue, Orange Sherbet and Comet did?"

"I was never good at it," admitted Vincent. "A lot of the time, I landed on my butt, like I slipped on a banana peel."

Dawn immediately burst out laughing. "Silly dad. There's no banana peels on the ice."

"I know that," said Vincent. "I was just making a point."

"Of course, dear, of course," chuckled Sunset.

"Are you going to join us for dinner or what?" Violet Glow called as she came into the family room.

"Alright, Violet, we're coming," Vincent.

"What're we having?" asked Dawn.

"I guess we'd best find out when we get to the dining room," said Sunset. "Storytelling works up an appetite."

"Have we been telling the story for that long?" asked Vincent.

"What can we say?" said Sunset. "Stories can take up a lot of time."

"And there's still more stories to be told?" asked Dawn inquisitively.

"That there are indeed," said Vincent.

"Goody!" she cried. "I can't wait."

"There will be time for all that in the future, my daughter," smiled Sunset.

"But for now," said Vincent, "I think we've earned ourselves a fair break. Besides," he added, "Comet and Song Cue will be visiting us again soon."

"They are?" asked Dawn. "When?"

"In the next few days," Sunset replied. "And yes, they are bringing their kids over."

"Alright!" cried Dawn. "I can't wait to see Venus and Mars again."

"Me neither," said Vincent. As the group went to eat their dinner, Sunset thought she saw two figures in the stars outside the window. One being a young boy with shades of red in his hair, and the other, a girl with purple and green streaks in her hair. They both seemed to smile and wink at her.

"You'll forever be missed, Starlight and Sunburst," she whispered.


	29. SOTC1 - I'm Stepping Out

Okay, so I said the series would resume in March, but I was off by a few weeks. Anyway, _Art of a Sun's Love_ is back with its eighth volume, _Song of the Comet_!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 1 - I'm Stepping Out (Lennon, 1984)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

It was after dinner, and Fictionary and Butterscotch were baking with their kids Sugar Berry and Typewriter.

"Do you think the Cues will like this surprise when they come round?" asked Sugar Berry.

"I know they will," said Butterscotch. "They're my family."

"They are ours too," said Typewriter, looking at his sister while saying it. "Do you think they will tell us another story?"

"I wonder what it'll be about," said Sugar Berry.

"There's quite a few tales about them yet to be told," Fictionary told her kids.

"Yeah, like, did cousin-in-law Comet's siblings get their comeuppance for being so rude?" wondered Sugar Berry.

"We'll have to ask them when they get here," said Butterscotch.

"Meanwhile," said Fictionary, "there's a story you might want to hear about your dad."

"Is it about his legs?" asked Typewriter.

Butterscotch nodded. "I'm sure you remember my mother dying when she was saving me from a tiger."

"That was gruesome," said Sugar Berry.

"Indeed it was," Butterscotch sighed. "A few years after that, my family decided it was time for me to get..."

"Hold everything!"

Dawn Spark came rushing over. "Didn't think I'd miss out on this, would ya?"

"Cutting it kind of close, aren't we?" Fictionary teased.

"Very funny, aunt Fictionary," she sighed. "Anyway, how uncle Butterscotch got his new legs?"

"It all started when most of our friends, including cousin Heartsong, were in their final year of middle school..."

* * *

 **DECEMBER 2013**

"Can you believe it?" gasped Sweetie Belle to her friends. "One more year and we'll finally see Heartsong again in high school."

"Bummer that we have to wait for another year before we join you," sighed Fictionary. "But we'll all keep in touch."

"Of course we will," smiled Heartsong.

"And Applejack and Big Mac had told me stories about the Fall Formal," Apple Bloom went on. "Ah bet you lot have your choices for that." She gave a teasing wink.

"Uh... what are you saying?" asked Fictionary, blushing.

"We don't have anyone in mind!" retorted Scootaloo, but she was also blushing.

"I really don't have anyone in mind," said Sweetie Belle.

"What about... Pipsqueak?" Heartsong put in cheekily.

"Uh..." Sweetie's cheeks went red.

"Let's face it, guys," said Heartsong. "We all have guys in mind for the dance."

"I'm kinda sad for First Base," Scootaloo put in. "I know he likes Silver Spoon, but I heard she may be in Crystal Prep."

"Ooh, that's a shame," winced Fictionary.

"Say, guys," said Apple Bloom. "Speaking of us bein' in other schools, how have you guys been holdin' up?"

"We've been doing alright," said Fictionary.

"Indeed," added Sweetie Belle. "We also got some news about Butterscotch."

"What about him?" asked Heartsong.

"He's getting replacement limbs," said Scootaloo.

"He what?!" Heartsong beamed.

"Yeah," said Scootaloo. "Apparently, his grandparents had been saving up secretly since the tiger attack."

"Well, grandparents do have habits of surprising their grandchildren," Heartsong chuckled.

"That they do indeed," agreed Sweetie Belle.

"We should go and visit Butterscotch at the hospital when his new limbs are done," said Fictionary.

"Sounds lak fun ta me," said Apple Bloom.

"How do you think he'd feel about walking again?" asked Heartsong.

"I'm not sure," said Fictionary. "He might find it strange since he'd been bound in a wheelchair for a few years."

"Ah guess we'll find out if yer right," said Apple Bloom.

* * *

A few days later, Page Turner got a call from Butterscotch's grandmother.

" _Hello, Mr. Turner,_ " she greeted. " _Did you hear the news?_ "

"What news?" he asked.

" _Butterscotch will finally be able to walk again,_ " she smiled.

"Ah, yes!" said Page Turner. "Fictionary told me about that the other day."

" _Well, he's being discharged from the hospital today, and my husband and I were wondering if you and your family would like to come to see him take his first steps in years._ "

"We'd be honored to go, ma'am," Page Turner agreed. "Especially little Fictionary."

"Dad, I'm not so little anymore," Fictionary retorted, walking over.

"Well, you are shorter than your brothers and sister." Fictionary just rolled her eyes in annoyance; being the shortest of her family could be so embarrassing at times.

"Cheer up, Fictionary," said Page Turner. "We're going to visit Butterscotch." That seemed to cheer her up.

"Yay! He's finally coming home!" Fictionary jumped up and down with excitement.

"Come on, Fictionary," Page chuckled. "The sooner we and your brothers get into the car, the sooner you can see your boyfriend."

Fictionary stopped jumping at the mention of the word "boyfriend".

"Not you too, dad..."

* * *

Shortly afterwards, the Sentries got to the hospital and met up with Butterscotch's grandparents.

"He's down this way," said Butterscotch's grandfather.

Everyone entered the room, and there they saw Butterscotch. No longer were his legs mere stumps, but they reached down to where they once were. His wheelchair was at the side of the room.

"Butterscotch!" gasped Fictionary. "Wow, look at you."

"Yeah," Butterscotch said shyly. "Uh... this is the new me."

"Are you ready to take your first step, pumpkin?" asked his grandmother.

"You think it'll be okay?"

"Just take it nice and slowly, Butterscotch," his grandfather replied.

Slowly, Butterscotch moved his right leg towards the side of the bed.

"Grab my hand if you need to," said Fictionary, reaching out her arm. Butterscotch accepted it, and slowly but surely, he managed to stand up straight... only to fall backwards on the hospital bed.

"It's alright, Butterscotch," Fictionary assured, still holding on. "Try again."

Butterscotch managed to get back on his feet again, but this time, he nearly fell forwards. Luckily, Fictionary managed to catch him before he fell.

"Oh, careful you two!" Vincent called, a little concerned.

"You can do this, Butterscotch," Fictionary encouraged. "One step at a time. I got you."

"Thanks, Fic."

Butterscotch took another cautious step forward, and put his other arm out for balance. His grandmother took hold of it when he leaned to the other side.

"Keep going, Butterscotch," whispered his grandmother. "I think you almost got it."

"Yeah, I think I do," he whispered. Butterscotch kept taking one small step after the other, slowly finding his new legs to be less wobbly and more natural.

"I think I got it!" cried Butterscotch. "I'm ready to try on my own, Fictionary and grandma."

They slowly let go and Butterscotch started pacing himself around the room.

"I can't believe it," he gasped. "I'm walking! Just like before the tiger attack."

"That's amazing, Butterscotch," smiled Fictionary. "Come on, let's show your friends and family you're no longer in your wheelchair."

"Alright!" said Butterscotch, quickly sprinting towards the door. He was so eager that he nearly fell to the floor. Luckily, Vincent caught him.

"Take it easy," he said, helping Butterscotch back up again.

"I suggest we all _walk_ to the cars," Flash sighed.

"Would probably be a good idea," said Butterscotch. After thanking the nurses, Butterscotch, his grandparents and the Sentries headed over to the cars.

* * *

Meanwhile, at Butterscotch's home, Fluttershy, Zephyr, Song Cue, Orange Sherbet, First Base, Heartsong and the other Crusaders were getting ready for a surprise welcome home party.

"Butterscotch will love this!" smiled Heartsong.

"I bet he will," said First Base.

"Let's see," said Fluttershy, glancing at the list again. "Balloons, streamers, sweets, chips, cookies, cake... wait, where's the cake?" Just then, the oven dinged.

"Does that answer your question?" asked Orange with a chuckle.

"Oh! I guess it does."

Orange got the cake out and he and Song Cue got to icing it.

"I know he'll love this yellow and white icing," said Song Cue, writing "welcome home" in the latter color.

"Oh, and I have some butterscotch sweets for decoration," said Zephyr.

"Fitting, given his name."

Soon after, the cake was done, and there was the sound of keys unlocking the front door.

"They're here!" cried Heartsong. "Hide!" Almost immediately, everyone went into their hiding spaces. Butterscotch and his grandparents walked in with the Sentries close behind.

"Why is it so dark in here?" asked Butterscotch.

"I don't know," said Fictionary.

"SURPRISE!" everyone shouted.

"Wow, for me?" gasped Butterscotch. "But it's not my birthday."

"It's a welcome home party, silly," chuckled Fluttershy. "And to celebrate you getting back on your feet."

"Oh, thank you, everyone!" smiled Butterscotch.

"And just look at you!" said Song Cue. "How does it feel to be back on two legs?"

"Kinda strange, to be honest," admitted Butterscotch.

"I'm sure you'll get used to it, cous," Heartsong assured.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Think of all the things you'll be able to do now," said Scootaloo. "Ice skating, playing baseball, dancing with Fictionary at the Formal..." Butterscotch and Fictionary looked at each other with red cheeks in embarrassment.

"Lucky..." First Base sighed.

"What's up, Base?" Butterscotch noticed the sad gaze in his eyes.

"Er, nothing really," said First Base, forcing a grin. "Don't want to spoil your party, right?"

"If you do change your mind, feel free to talk about it," Butterscotch assured.

"Thanks."

The group started to enjoy themselves, tucking into the snacks provided and dancing to the music. As Butterscotch danced with his friends, he felt himself almost trip a few times.

"Whoops!" he gasped, nearly missing Sweetie Belle.

"You alright?" she called.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I got walking right, now I need to work on everything else."

"Being in a wheelchair for a few years has had quite the effect, hasn't it?" asked Scootaloo.

"It sure did," he sighed. "Do you think mom can see this?"

"I think she can," whispered Fictionary. "You've made her proud, no questions asked."

"Shame the same can't be said about Boomer," said Apple Bloom.

"And she'd be especially displeased with Scattered Marbles," said Orange.

"Thank goodness he's behind bars now," said Fluttershy, shuddering a bit.

"Yeah, good riddance to that monster," said Song Cue. "And to think _Sesame Street_ has nice monsters..."

"And Rocky Ripple's out of the family too," Heartsong put in. "The things we tried to do for him when we were younger, but he just had to be a bully."

"What did he have against you?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"It's hard to explain," said Song Cue. "But, there is one thing that... _might_ have contributed to his downfall."

"What's that?" asked Flash. He and Vincent hadn't spoken since the party started.

"When we were growing up, Song Cue, Heartsong, our cousins and I would look forward to Christmas each year," Orange said. "And... well, that was also Rocky Ripple's birthday."

"It was tradition for us to host a Christmas party at either our house, Fluttershy's or Butterscotch's houses," Heartsong went on. "And we would also try to organised something special for Rocky Ripple on Boxing Day too. But since Rocky Ripple never made many friends, adding to the fact Christmas and his birthday were essentially back to back, he didn't feel satisfied with it."

"That can't be good," said Vincent.

"That can't have been the only reason though," said Fluttershy. "We think there's something else, but no matter how many times we asked, he wouldn't tell us, and by the time he was out of middle school... it was too late."

The Sentries, the other Crusaders and First Base winced.

"Ah guess even bullies have sad stories," sighed Apple Bloom.

"Indeed," said Heartsong. "You can't help when you're born."

"And you can't help when mommy and daddy-"

"Zephyr!" Fluttershy scolded. "Not in front of the kids."

Song Cue seemed a bit unnerved by Zephyr's near comment about the birds and the bees, but shook her head.

"Anyways," she sighed, "we have to do all we can to keep our remaining family together."

"Same here for me and my family," said Vincent. "With one obvious exception..." he added with a mutter. The others remained silent, knowing that Vincent was talking about his, Flash's and the twins' birth-father, Flame Barrier.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rocky Ripple wasn't enjoying himself at his boot camp.

"This isn't right," he grumbled to himself. "I did nothing to deserve this!"

"Yeah, this bites," added Lightning Dust, a girl with gamboge eyes and amber hair with gold streaks. "I remember when Dash got me kicked out of Canterlot Middle, when we were in sixth grade no less."

"You mean, as in... Rainbow Dash?" asked Rocky inquisitively.

"Yeah," Lightning admitted. "We connected after we realized our similar interests in sports. But... I started to push others out of the way when we were competing so I would get first place. Rainbow caught me out. You know of her?"

"Rainbow Dash met my twin siblings Song Cue, Orange Sherbet and cousin Fluttershy when they were babies," Rocky sighed. "Mind you, they're a year below her. She's also close with my youngest cousin Butterscotch and youngest sister Heartsong. Zephyr is on the outs with her."

"Why is Zephyr on the outs with Rainbow?" asked Lightning.

"He wouldn't stop bugging her; let's put it that way."

"And you guys have known each other since they were that small?" Lightning was very surprised. "Sheesh, did your parents go to school together or something?"

"That wouldn't surprise me," said Rocky. "Anyway, I don't know about you, Lightning, but I think we ought to break outta here."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Rocky, but there's guards every which way," Lightning pointed out.

"Let's slip out of our rooms tonight," he suggested, "and go through the back."

* * *

Night fell, and Lightning slowly opened Rocky's dorm.

"Let's go," she whispered. Rocky stirred and sat up, feeling groggy.

"I'm up, I'm up," he yawned. "This way." The two started to go around the back to a hallway.

"There's gotta be an open window somewhere," muttered Lightning.

"You mean like this one?"

"Huh... how'd I miss that?" Lightning asked herself.

"Probably cause you're shorter than me," Rocky muttered.

"Okay, very funny..." Lightning shook her head. "Let's get on outta this dump." Lightning slowly climbed out the window and helped Rocky out too. But as Rocky and Lightning stepped outside, the security cameras and alarm went off.

"Cheese it!" cried Rocky. "It's the guards!"

"Let's make like bananas and split!" Lightning agreed and they bolted.

"You had to go for that, didn't you?!" cried Rocky as they ran.

"What... oh..." She realized her pun a little too late.

"Mayday, mayday!" called one of the guards. "Some of the students have escaped the camp. Locate them immediately!"

A few select guards went out to find the escapees, but Rocky and Lightning were well out of sight.

"Where could those punks be?" said one of them.

"You two check over there," said another guard. "We'll go that way."

Lightning and Rocky managed to find a secluded area at the bottom of a hill.

"We'll need to find somewhere to take refuge," said Lightning. "Got any ideas?"

"Well, there's my uncle Scattered Marbles' house," Rocky replied.

"That rundown shack?" asked Lightning.

"It's the only option I've got right now," Rocky admitted.

"Better than jail, I guess," Lightning shrugged. They headed towards the shack.

"I guess we could spruce up this place a little," said Rocky. "Pity that uncle Scattered Marbles and Boomer aren't here."

"Well, at least you've got someone to help you get revenge on your little family," said Lightning. "We're in this together, eh Rocky?"

"That we are indeed, Lightning." Rocky and Lightning felt like they found true companions in their lives, even if it had been for the wrong reasons. They were ready to take down the Shy/Cue family and Rainbow Dash's together.

* * *

 **AUGUST 7, 2038**

"Whoa, cousin Rocky Ripple escaped with his girlfriend?" asked Sugar Berry.

"Unfortunately, they did," sighed Butterscotch. "And they caused a lot of trouble."

"How much?" asked Typewriter. "Was it that bad?"

"Let's just say he did some things that scared cousin Song Cue and cousin-in-law Comet Tail," Fictionary sighed. "I'm afraid they may have to wait until tomorrow."

"Aw man," sighed Dawn. "I was enjoying that."

"Patience is the key, Dawn," Butterscotch assured. "Now, why don't you help us with the finishing touches on the cake?"

"Is it for tomorrow?" asked Dawn.

"It sure is," smiled Sugar Berry. She, Typewriter and Dawn continued to help with the cake and wondered curiously about what conflict Rocky and Lightning had started for Song Cue and Comet Tail.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy (and their siblings and the latter's cousins) meeting each other as babies is a nod to how they met each other as fillies in _The Cutie Mark Chronicles_.**


	30. SOTC2 - Jet

Well, how about that? The 100th chapter of the whole series! To celebrate, here's something that's really, really big, including an original song within the chapter!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 2 - Jet (McCartney, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

The following morning, August 8, Vincent had received a phone call from Song Cue.

" _Hello?_ " Song Cue said cheerfully into the phone. " _Vincent, is that you?_ "

"Yeah, it's me," said Vincent. "We're expecting you and the family to visit today."

" _We'll be a bit late,_ " said Song Cue. " _Firelight and Mystic Light will be coming too. Our kids want to know how Mystic Light was briefly their 'sister'._ "

"Is your car having problems on you?" asked Vincent.

" _No, Mars just knocked the keys into a tight space behind the couch,_ " sighed Song Cue.

" _Mom, it was an accident,_ " Mars retorted from the other side of the phone.

" _Oh, sure, an accident,_ " Venus said sarcastically.

" _Kids, calm down,_ " said Comet. " _Now, help me move the couch while your mother explains what's happened._ "

" _Ahem, sorry about that,_ " said Song Cue. "Anyway, we'll be down as soon as possible."

"That's good to hear," said Vincent. "I'll let my family know you'll be running late."

" _Great. See you and your family then, Vincent._ "

The two hung up the phone.

"Are they coming, uncle Vincent?" asked Dusk Charger.

"They are," said Vincent. "They'll just be running a bit late."

"Aw... I wish they would get here soon."

"You mean you wish _Venus_ would get here soon," laughed Violet Glow.

"We're only friends!" snapped Dusk, blushing.

"Sure, big brother," smirked Twilight V.

"That will do, you three," said Twilight firmly.

"Sorry, mom..." the trio sighed.

"Anyway," Twilight went on, "I think we may have a story that will help pass the time before Comet's family gets here."

"What about the Rainbooms' first ever tour?" suggested Flash.

"Oh yes!" the kids cried excitedly.

"Tell us, uncle Flash," begged Dawn.

"I wouldn't go so far as to calling it a tour," Sunset admitted. "If you ask me, it was a comedy of errors lasting three weeks."

* * *

 **MARCH 3, 2014**

"I still can't believe Icy Heart nearly killed my family..." sighed Sunset quietly.

"Nor can I," said Vincent, holding his girlfriend close. It had barely been a day since the funeral of Starlight Glimmer, and yet it kept playing on their minds as to what could've happened had they found out about her dark past sooner.

"Oh, Starlight..." whispered Sunset. "Why didn't I see the signs...?"

The day at school had been very uneventful, besides the lowered American flag on the pole, its fifty-three stars representing the states of America, including Superior, Jefferson (their home state), and Long Island. Given the emotional state that Vincent and Sunset were in, they only had each other for company outside of class, and were very much alone for the most part apart from the occasional "hello" to their friends.

"Do you think Starlight is upset with me?" asked Sunset.

"I don't know," Vincent admitted. "After Sunburst's death, apart from Trixie, she didn't have any close friends."

"I heard from Sugar Belle that she was friends with Starlight when they were in elementary school," said Sunset.

"Oh, I see," said Vincent. "How do you think Night Glider, Party Favor and Double Diamond took the news?"

"They were badly shaken by Starlight's death," Sunset admitted.

"I wonder why she didn't try connecting with them before she... you know..."

"Maybe she felt she didn't deserve their friendship," Sunset thought aloud.

"That's kind of cold, isn't it?" said Vincent.

"I'm just going by how I felt during my dark spell." Sunset admitted.

"Oh."

"It's a strange thing," Sunset went on, "how one or two changes in the past can have a lasting impact on what could happen in the future."

Vincent sighed. "Yeah, they sure can indeed."

"Speaking of the future," Sunset went on, "what do you think it holds?"

"Hopefully better things for both of us," said Vincent. "Even if I'll be kinda alone for my senior year at Canterlot High." By now, the train was pulling into the station.

"Hey, Song Cue, Fluttershy, Orange Sherbet, Comet Tail, Twilight, Pinkie and Marble will be there," said Sunset. "And aren't Heartsong, Scootaloo, First Base and Sweetie Belle finishing up eighth grade this year?"

"That they are," said Vincent. "I'm not sure First Base and Scootaloo will have the excitement we faced."

"Maybe Scootaloo will, when she finds out Rumble is going to Canterlot High too," chuckled Sunset.

"Yeah," said Vincent, laughing a bit. The train had stopped alongside the platform and the doors opened.

"That's us." Sunset and Vincent hopped onto the train. Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Marble Pie, Fluttershy, Zephyr, Song Cue, Orange Sherbet, Applejack, Twilight and Comet were soon in the train car too.

"Hello guys," said Song Cue. "How are you two holding up?"

"We've been better," sighed Sunset.

"It has been a bit of a shock," Twilight admitted. "But Starlight died honorably."

"She did indeed," said Applejack.

"Without her, Icy Heart would have destroyed Sunset's family," Fluttershy put in.

"Then who'd be our principal?" asked Pinkie.

"I don't even want to think about what would happen if Principal McCracken died," shuddered Twilight.

"Nor do I," said Sunset.

"I think we all need something to get away from this depressing topic," said Pinkie.

"Yeah," said Rainbow Dash. "I'd been thinking; you know the Rainbooms' show that Valentines' Day?"

"Oh yeah," said Song Cue. "You guys sang beautifully."

"Yeah, but I was thinking..." Rainbow Dash paused impressively. "What if we shared our music beyond Rainbow Falls and Canterlot?"

"A tour?" asked Applejack. "That sounds quite ambitious."

"Isn't it too early to think about one?" asked Sunset. "It's only three months til graduation, and Fluttershy and Pinkie will still be in high school."

Marble gave a small nod in agreement to Sunset's statement. "And Pinkie's got two years after Fluttershy graduates."

"That's true enough, Marble," said Rainbow Dash. "But maybe during the summer break we could do the tour."

"Do you have any ideas as to how you're going to arrange it?" asked Comet. "It takes a long time to plan these things ahead."

"We could... er... that is... uh..." Rainbow realized she didn't have any plans on how to pull it off.

"Well, at least you got three months to think about it," said Twilight.

"Yeah," said Rainbow. "We're all going to have to talk this out with Rarity too."

* * *

Later, the Rainbooms regrouped with Rarity when she came back from university.

"A tour could be fun," she agreed.

"We'd have ta organize which songs ta play on what days, and how long we're goin' for," said Applejack.

"Can't always be all the songs on the first album," said Sunset. "We should probably write up some new songs for the tour. I've got one inspired from the most recent events."

"You do?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"I call it 'Light in Every Darkness'," Sunset replied.

"That's a beautiful title," said Fluttershy. "I'm sure Starlight would love it."

"Thanks, Fluttershy," said Sunset.

"She probably would," said Rainbow Dash. "Who wouldn't like a song with an awesome name like that?"

"Ooh, I think I have an idea for a song too," said Pinkie.

"Nothing to do with baking, does it?" groaned Rainbow Dash. "I can't get the last one out of my head!"

"No, silly," giggled Pinkie. "It's about teaching someone who's lonely that one small thing can be the greatest thing of all."

"Thank goodness for that..."

"Who is this lonely person?" asked Rarity. "Do we know them?"

"Well, it's actually based on an experience in elementary school," Pinkie explained. "A couple of days after my first day, I found Skystar all by her lonesome. Her cousin Silverstream was sick that day, and her sisters Haven Bay, Selina Blue and cousin Terramar were all too young to attend. She didn't have anyone to play with, so Marble and I went to play with her and show her some fun."

"That's real sweet of ya and Marble to step in and befriend Skystar like that," commented Applejack.

"I really like where this is going, girls," said Rainbow Dash. "Maybe if we go home, we'll come up with more ideas and bring them back here during our next meeting."

"I don't see why not," agreed Fluttershy.

"Wait," said Sunset, just as the girls were about to depart. "Do you think we need an opening act?"

"An opening act?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Like whom?"

"Maybe Flash and his band could help," said Fluttershy.

"You sure?" asked Rarity. "I mean, Brawly Beats isn't exactly gentlemanly..."

"Twinkleshine would beg to differ," Sunset insisted.

"I'm sure they'd be great," said Rainbow. "Just give them a fair chance, Rare."

"Well, alright then," said Rarity. "Do they have any material of their own?"

"Yeah, they would," Applejack nodded. "Let's ask them when we see them next."

* * *

After receiving the news a few days later, Flash returned home just as Vincent came home from the station.

"Hey, little bro, you'll never guess what's going on," said Flash.

"What is it?" asked Vincent.

"The Rainbooms asked my band to be their opening act in a tour they're planning," Flash explained.

"Really?" asked Vincent. "That's great news!"

"A tour?!" cried Fictionary. Page Turner walked in, having picked her up from Canterlot Middle.

"What's this about a tour, I hear?" asked Page Turner. Flash quickly told his father about what was going on.

"I'm very proud of you for taking this into consideration," Page Turner hugged Flash. "Your mom would be too."

"Do you think she can see us?" asked Fictionary.

"In spirit, she can," said Vincent. "I don't suppose some others could come along for the ride."

"I could potentially talk to my band and the girls," Flash nodded thoughtfully.

"Who'd you have in mind?" asked Vincent.

"I was hoping you would come," Flash told his brother. "Fluttershy's asked Song Cue, and she's asked Comet to come. Sunset's told Twilight and Twilight's asked if Moon Dancer wanted to go as well, and Applejack's asked Big Mac too."

"That sounds like there's gonna be a lot of people," remarked Vincent.

"We're going to need some help with setting up and the like," Flash explained.

"That makes sense," Fictionary nodded.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the Cues' house, Song Cue had invited Fluttershy and Comet for a snack and they were chatting about the tour too.

"You excited to go, cous?" Song Cue asked.

"Maybe a little nervous about it," Fluttershy admitted.

"You're a great singer, Fluttershy," Song Cue assured. "You play the tambourine very well too. You'll be fantastic."

"I don't think it's that," said Comet. "The first show on Valentine's Day was familiar faces; we'll be traveling to different parts of the region."

"I can admit, it's quite daunting," Song Cue realized. "But don't worry. We'll all be there to support you and the Rainbooms, cous."

"Thank you, Song Cue, Comet Tail," Fluttershy hugged them both. "I knew I could count on you."

"Between you Fluttershy, Twilight and Sunset," sighed Comet, "I feel like I have three sisters."

"Why your own sisters and two of your brothers treat you so coldly, I don't know," Song Cue muttered.

"At least you won't see them during the tour," said Fluttershy. "Out of your family, you're the only one we're allowing to come... oh, well, if Shooting Star did want to come, he's welcome to."

"Shooting Star's got a lot on his plate," Comet told Fluttershy, "but I promised to write to him while I'm on the tour with you two."

"Well, I can tell we'll have a wonderful time," said Song Cue.

"That we will," smiled Comet.

* * *

 **JUNE 30, 2014**

The big day soon came, and everyone was ready to go.

"Have fun with your friends and girlfriend, little brother," Shooting Star ruffled Comet's hair playfully.

"I will, Shooting Star," Comet smiled. "See you when the tour's over."

Comet's other siblings looked on in jealousy.

"What does he have that we don't?" complained Lyra.

"Compassion, kindness, empathy..." Shooting Star listed.

"We've got that too," growled Rare Find.

"And when have you actually displayed it?" asked Shooting Star. "Towards him?"

"Shooting Star's right," came Fictionary's reply. She and Page Turner had come to see Flash and Vincent off. The older Sentry sibling was not pleased to see Electric Sky or Lyra again.

"Lyra and Electric," Flash said dryly.

"Oh, hi boys," Electric smirked. "Haven't seen you in a while."

"Not long enough," said Vincent, also not happy to see them.

"And I haven't see you since the 2009 Fall Formal, Flash," giggled Cayenne.

"You know them?" asked Fictionary.

"Unfortunately," sighed Flash. Twilight and Moon Dancer shuffled uncomfortably too.

"You know them too?" Fictionary asked.

"I did invite Lyra to my tenth birthday," Moon Dancer admitted. "Though if I knew she treated Comet Tail so poorly, I wouldn't have done that."

"The sooner we leave Comet's toxic siblings, the better," Song Cue grunted in agreement. "Not you, Shooting Star."

"No, I get it," Shooting Star smiled in understanding.

"Let's go, guys," grinned Rainbow Dash. "A tour's awaiting us."

"Farewell, everybody," called Applejack.

"Where's our first stop?" asked Moon Dancer.

"We're headin' down to Appleloosa," said Applejack. "Mah cousin Braeburn lives there."

"Ooh, Appleloosa sounds like fun," said Pinkie.

"Ah'm sure Braeburn will be pleased ta see us," said Big Mac.

"Too bad Apple Bloom ain't comin' with us," sighed Applejack.

"Yeah, it's a shame all our siblings couldn't have come..." said Twilight. "I would have loved it if Shining Armor was able to come."

"Likely due to his duties with the police," said Flash.

"He's doing very well," said Moon Dancer. "Very much like Mr. Sparkle."

"Plus, I heard he was planning to start a family of his own," said Twilight.

"Aww, he and Cadence are starting their family?" gasped Song Cue. "No way!"

"Would be nice if that was the case," said Flash.

"I can't wait to hear how things go for them," smiled Rarity. "Maybe they can send a picture of their child when the time comes."

* * *

After a while, the buses finally got to Appleloosa; one carrying the passengers, and the other holding their equipment.

"Hey cousins!" cried Braeburn. As Applejack and Big Mac got off the bus, the Apples exchanged a group hug.

"Nice ta see ya again," said Big Mac.

"You guys too," replied Braeburn. "Excited for your first show, AJ?"

"Second overall, but yeah," said Applejack. "We just gotta unload all of our equipment and carry it to the stage."

"Ah'll lend ya a hand with that," Braeburn offered.

"That's why we're here too," Twilight said as she and the others stepped down.

"Let's get the equipment out," said Soarin, and everyone went to grab it from the other bus.

"The day's still quite early," said Rainbow Dash. "Even when everything's set, we may have more time to kill."

"Well, we may be able to get in some soccer," said Braeburn.

"Oh, Ah'd like to play," Applejack agreed.

"And get your outfits messy before the show?!" gasped Rarity. "Absolutely not!"

"Hey, let them be," Caramel said. "They just want to have a bit of fun."

"Chill out, Rare," Soarin put in. "They'll be right."

"Easy for you two to say," retorted Rarity.

"Yeah, how much harm can it do?" asked Brawly Beats.

"Let's just focus on getting everything out before we think about games," Math Equation advised.

"Yeah, he's got a point there," said Flash.

"Wow, how often do the two of you actually agree on something?" asked Song Cue.

"It all depends on the subject," Flash shrugged.

* * *

Later, Rainbow and Applejack were playing soccer with some locals - Braeburn was one of them of course, and two others were Sky Stinger, a boy around their age with light sea green eyes and matching hair, though with paler highlights, and his childhood friend Vapor Trail; she was around Fluttershy's age with pale light grayish turquoise eyes and her hair was light cyanish gray, light emerald greenish gray, and very pale apple green. Sky Stinger also had four sisters who joined in; his older sisters Thunderstruck and Ocean Sky, and younger sisters Beesting and Thunder Dust.

"Think fast, Sky!" cried Rainbow, kicking the ball his way. Sky Stinger grabbed the ball, stopping it before it reached the goal.

"Good save, Sky," giggled Vapor.

"Go long, Vapor!" called Sky, passing the ball, but Beesting blocked it.

But as Beesting tried to throw it to Thunderstuck, she slipped and mud went flying all over everyone playing.

"Oops... sorry guys."

"It's alright, sis," said Ocean Sky.

"It's just mud," Applejack shrugged. "No biggie, Beesting."

"Though Rarity's gonna be peeved when she sees us," Rainbow Dash pointed out.

"Oh... how could Ah forget..."

* * *

"Rainbow Dash and Applejack, what have you done to your outfits!?" Rarity cried in outrage.

"Told ya she'd be peeved," Rainbow Dash whispered.

"I haven't time to fix them up now," Rarity sighed. "We have to get ready for the show."

"Flash and his band have finished, haven't they?" asked Applejack.

Twilight nodded. "They did great." Fluttershy noticed Twilight's face go a little pink as she complimented Flash.

"They must have done well," she giggled.

"How long is it gonna be before Dash and Applejack get cleaned up?" asked Vincent.

"Hopefully not too long," Song Cue sighed.

"At worst, it'll delay our show by ten minutes," said Rarity.

"Got any ideas on what to do until then?" asked Math.

"We could... oh, we can't really do any songs without everyone together, can we?" Pinkie sighed.

"Hey, what's wrong back here?" asked Flash as he, Brawly Beats and Ringo came round. The other Rainbooms quickly explained everything.

"I guess I could step in for Rainbow's guitar playing," Flash suggested.

"Oh, and Twilight!" Rarity cried suddenly. "Would you sing?"

"Yeah, I can sing alright," said Twilight.

"But what about the bassist?" Thunderbass pointed out.

"Uh, guys, is anyone else a bass player?" asked Song Cue.

"I am," said Thunderstruck.

"I guess it was lucky you guys ran into me and my sisters today," said Sky Stinger. "You can also take it as a way of saying sorry for getting two of your members dirty."

"Thanks, guys," said Pinkie. "Alright crew, let's go on!"

* * *

Everyone stepped onto the stage, and Pinkie took hold of the microphone.

"Alright, everyone!" she called. "We had a few... er... mix-ups tonight, and Rainbow and Applejack aren't here right now. But, we can still go on, Flash is playing guitar, Twilight is singing, and our new friend Thunderstruck is playing on the bass."

The crowd nodded in approval, and two crowd members in particular were very impressed.

"Our eldest daughter playing with a band?" cried Aqua Burst.

"I always knew our kids were special," smiled Ray Stinger.

"This is a song we wrote a few months ago," Pinkie went on. "It's called 'We Got This Together'."

As the song began, Twilight started to feel nervous, but when she began singing, her voice seemed to blend perfectly with the others, and she felt confident in herself.

"Twilight's sounding wonderful," Song Cue commented quietly. "Almost as if she should have been in the Rainbooms from the start."

"Do you wish you could go up there too?" asked Comet.

"Well... maybe a small part of me does," Song Cue admitted.

The first song of the set, "We Got This Together", soon came to a close.

"I wonder what the next one is?" wondered Thunder Dust.

"For this next song," Pinkie said, "a friend of ours said they were staying in Appleloosa for a holiday with their family and would be here tonight. Come on up, Skystar!"

Skystar raced up and gave Pinkie a secret handshake.

"Skystar?" asked Sunset in surprise. "I didn't know you were here as well."

"Pinkie said to keep it under wraps," she giggled.

"I see."

"Well, since you're up here Skystar," smiled Pinkie, "ready for our duet?"

"I'm ready!" Skystar giggled excitedly.

" _Hey now, don't be sad,_ " Pinkie began. " _I know we cannot stay. But we gotta a couple minutes and a little time to play._ "

" _I know you have important things, so it's okay, just go,_ " Skystar went on.

" _But we can still pick one small, little thing to do with you, y'know!_ "

"You go, Skystar!" cried Haven Bay.

"That's our sis!" smiled Selina Blue. Pinkie and Skystar's duet seemed to make everyone in the audience dance.

"I didn't know Skystar could sing like that," Comet said to himself.

"Nor did I," said Vincent.

"She's amazing!" gushed Song Cue. "She and Pinkie make a great team."

Pinkie Pie and Skystar finished their duet with a sisterly hug.

"That was fun, Pinkie. We should do it again sometime," grinned Skystar.

"We sure should," said the pink-haired girl. Skystar raced down to join Novo, Seaspray and her younger sisters in the crowd.

"This next song, is a collab between Rarity and I," said Pinkie. "This is dedicated to a friend of ours down in Rainbow Falls named Saffron Masala, and her father Coriander. We had conflicting ideas on how to help Coriander save his restaurant, the Tasty Treat, but I will tell you, it all worked out in the end."

"How many of these songs are being led by Pinkie?" Moon Dancer muttered to herself.

"Saffron Masala?" asked Song Cue quietly. "I've known her since Rainbow Falls Middle."

"You have?" asked Comet.

Song Cue nodded. "She was always practicing being a waitress down at her father's restaurant and now she's proven to be a good cook. Coriander always dotes on her."

"I wish my dad was like that," sighed Comet.

"My parents will always be there for you, Comet," Song Cue assured, holding his hand. "They adore you."

"Thanks, Song Cue."

"And dad enjoys having you over too," Vincent added.

"Do you think Cindy feels the same?" asked Comet.

"She does," said Vincent. Comet smiled slightly and the group continued listening to Pinkie and Rarity's duet.

As the third number drew to a close, Rainbow Dash and Applejack turned up, no longer covered with mud.

"There you two are," smiled Twilight.

"You did awesome singing there, Twilight," complimented Rainbow Dash.

"Thanks, Rainbow," replied Twilight. "It was fun. We'll let you and Applejack get back to it."

"Yeah," said Flash. "It almost felt as though Pinkie was leading the show herself."

"Well, she did work very hard with two of the songs, but the first song in the show was a collab between all of us," Rainbow admitted.

"Ah think it's yer turn to do a song, Rainbow," said Applejack. "Better not be full of self-praise and all that."

"Well, this song is dedicated to when I got a pet tortoise named Tank," Rainbow said. "And Fluttershy helped me realize he was the pet for me."

"Thank goodness fer that," sighed Applejack.

"There seems to be a lot of duets tonight," said Caramel.

"It sure looks like it," said Soarin.

"Oh, Rainbow and Flutters really put their hearts in this one," smiled Song Cue.

Following Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy's song came some previous Rainbooms songs such as "My Past is Not Today", "Generosity", "A True, True Friend", and "Shake Your Tail". As part of their encore, there was a cover version of "Jet" with Rainbow Dash on lead vocals.

" _Jet! Jet!  
Jet! I can almost remember the funny faces  
That time you told them that you were going to marrying soon  
And Jet, I thought the only lonely place was on the moon_

 _Jet! Ooh... Jet! Ooh...  
Jet! Was your father as bold as the Sergeant Major?  
How come he told you that you were hardly old enough yet?  
And Jet, I thought the Major was a Lady Suffragette_

 _Jet! Ooh... Jet! Ooh...  
Ah, mater, want Jet to always love me  
Ah, mater, want Jet to always love me  
Ah, mater, much later_

 _Jet!_ "

Following came a blistering guitar solo, courtesy of Dash herself.

" _And Jet, I thought the Major was a Lady Suffragette_

 _Jet! Ooh... Jet! Ooh...  
Ah, mater, want Jet to always love me  
Ah, mater, want Jet to always love me  
Ah, mater, much later_

 _Jet! With the wind in your hair of a thousand laces  
Climb on the back and we'll go for a ride in the sky  
And Jet, I thought that the Major was a little Lady Suffragette_

 _Jet! Ooh... Jet! Ooh...  
And Jet, you know I thought you was a little Lady Suffragette_

 _Jet! Ooh...  
A little lady  
My little lady, yes..._"

"That was amazing!" cried Braeburn.

"Totally blew my mind!" called Vapor.

* * *

Everyone stepped down from the stage, tired but full of pride.

"Well done, guys!" smiled Math.

"Yeah, that was really cool!" added Masked Puck.

"Thanks," said Rarity.

"Where are we headed next?" asked Big Mac.

"Our next destination is Dodge Junction," said Pinkie. "What could go wrong there?"

* * *

 **JULY 2, 2014**

"Please tell me yer jokin'," exclaimed Applejack. Moon Dancer had just told her that their amps had shorted out.

"I wish I was," said Moon Dancer, "but they just shorted out on us without reason."

"Ugh..." groaned Rainbow Dash. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"Did you have some trouble?" This came from a woman with light pistachio eyes and two toned moderate crimson hair who walked over.

"Unfortunately, yes," said Sunset. "Our amplifiers broke down on us; without any, we can't play, I'm afraid."

"Well, I think we've got some amps down at my uncle's place," the woman replied. "You could borrow those."

"How long will it be before they get there?" asked Flash.

"That's... a good question," Fluttershy said.

"My uncle's house is a short drive from here," the woman told her. "About five to ten minutes."

"So that means the show's delayed by about an hour," said Vincent.

"Well, that's just lovely..." muttered Rarity.

"Well, at least you'll still have a show going on, right?" asked Soarin.

"I suppose so, Soarin," Rarity admitted.

"What can we do in the meantime?" asked Brawly Beats. "The audience may get bored and leave."

"Why not try something more acoustic?" suggested Vincent.

"Oh, I think that's a lovely idea," smiled Fluttershy. "Let's give it a go."

"Better than nothing," Rainbow Dash decided. "As long as someone doesn't cover 'Yesterday' for the hundred thousandth time."

"Why doesn't she like that one?" asked Brawly.

"She thinks it's overrated and overplayed," explained Vincent. "Her loss."

"Ah well," said Song Cue. "What songs do you guys want to do tonight?"

"What's that one about the space voyage lasting a hundred years?" asked Flash.

"''39'," replied Twilight. "It's a personal favorite of mine about Einstein's special theory of relativity."

"Sounds cool," Moon Dancer commented.

"I guess we could start there," said Sunset. "What other songs do you guys have in mind?"

Soon the others began listing the acoustic songs they'd liked to see performed live. It got to the point that just about everyone wanted to partake in singing live.

"Okay, Rainbooms," Applejack announced. "And friends as well; let's do this!"

Sunset got to the front. "Okay, everyone. We had a bit of an issue with our amps. But I promise we've got some songs in mind for tonight. Our first song is suggested by our friend Twilight Sparkle - it's called ''39'."

"And, Twilight is accompanying us this time around," Rarity added, leading to a surprised Twilight walking up to the stage. "Flash, would you play guitar for us too, please?"

"I shall indeed," was his reply. Twilight held the microphone as the song began, and she began singing.

" _In the year of '39, assembled here the volunteers  
In the days when the lands were few  
Here the ship sailed out into the blue and sunny morn  
The sweetest sight ever seen..._"

"Twilight's pouring her heart out," whispered Song Cue to Vincent and Comet.

"No wonder Flash fancies her," Vincent whispered back.

"Do you think she likes him back?" Comet asked.

"I'm not sure," said Vincent.

"And... if so, how would Math take it?" Song Cue wondered.

"Well... Math is still a bit upset about the, er... love triangle, judging by how he reacted at the 'post-Valentines' Day' snack at the Sweet Shoppe," Vincent admitted. "But he and Twilight are on speaking terms and he's starting to move on with Rarity. So... it's tough to say."

"I understand," sighed Song Cue. "If I had known then what I know now, I would have been more tactful back then."

"I know the feeling," muttered Vincent.

"I guess we've _all_ been there at least once," Comet agreed.

"Indeed," said Vincent. The first song came to a close, and Flash and Twilight seemed to share a loving glance as the audience clapped for them. The next song on the setlist was Applejack's performance of "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes".

"Ready, AJ?" asked Rainbow in a whisper.

"Eeyup." The cowgirl took the center stage.

"That's my girl," smiled Caramel as Applejack started singing.

"She gets it from Ma," Big Mac explained proudly. "That could be why she's a great singer."

"Have you ever sang?" asked Caramel to Big Mac.

"Part of me wants to," Big Mac admitted, "but... Ah'm a little shy to."

"If Fluttershy was able to get up there, I'm sure you'd be able to as well," Caramel smiled. "Maybe one day you could do that."

 _Fluttershy_. The memory played in Big Mac's head. He and Fluttershy met back in 2008. They went to the 2011 Formal after he found the nerve to ask her. And then... after all that, he chose Sugar Belle as his girlfriend, leaving poor Fluttershy without a partner. He did have his own reasons for why, and Fluttershy even helped to set things up, but it still hurt to know that Fluttershy was disappointed.

Speaking of whom, Fluttershy was next up with a performance of "Blowin' in the Wind".

"Got it, cous!" Song Cue said quietly. Fluttershy's soft spoken singing voice was enough to melt even the most stoic members of the audiences' hearts.

After several more covers, it was Sunset's turn.

"Everyone," Sunset announced, "this is a song I wrote myself called 'Light in Every Darkness'. This song is dedicated to someone who, is unfortunately, not among us tonight, but she's with us in spirit." She started to strum the acoustic guitar and began to sing.

" _We were so young when we first met  
The innocence of childhood, I'll never forget  
My very first friendship, we had such fun  
Never would I think that our time would be done_

 _There's a light in every darkness, a gem amongst the dirt  
You never know when someone may feel hurt  
There's a light in every darkness, deep inside the heart  
Look deep within them and new friendships may start_

 _I was depressed and lonely till you came around  
We instantly clicked, we were friendship bound  
I stuck close to you, my once longtime friend  
Then all of a sudden, friendship came to an end_

 _There's a light in every darkness, a gem amongst the dirt  
You never know when someone may feel hurt  
There's a light in every darkness, deep inside the heart  
Look deep within them and new friendships may start_

 _I made some foolish choices, I was blinded by grief  
But this new guidance failed to give me relief..._"

Following the bridge came a short instrumental passage whilst Sunset hummed. In the audience, a few members were shedding tears at the beauty and maturity of a song written by an eighteen-year-old.

" _Out of school, I left home at night  
Without second thought, I turned away from the light  
I felt my heart was as cold as ice  
I took a final chance and didn't think twice_

 _There's a light in every darkness, a gem amongst the dirt  
You never know when someone may feel hurt  
There's a light in every darkness, deep inside the heart  
Look deep within them and new friendships may start..._"

As the song drew to a close, everyone was in a stunned silence. Sunset's new song was breathtaking, that was for sure. After Sunset had strummed the last guitar chord, the audience cheered loudly. Sunset tilted her head down shyly.

"Oh, Sunset, that was absolutely beautiful," said Vincent.

"Thanks, Vincent," she smiled, blushing.

"I'm here with the amps," called Cherry Jubilee.

"Ah, thanks fer bringin' them up," said Applejack. "How are ya'll enjoyin' the show so far?" she asked the audience. The audience all responded positively with a loud cheer.

"Well, we're glad ta hear that," said Applejack, "but right now, we've just gotten some replacement amplifiers. We'll be takin' a quick break whilst they're being set up."

The audience waited patiently for the amps to be set up. Some members left their seats either to use the bathroom or to get some fresh air. After almost half an hour, the replacement amplifiers were set up, and the Rainbooms' show could finally start up again.

"I guess it's back to the usual songs then," Moon Dancer commented.

"Yeah, it looks like it," said Rainbow Dash.

"Let's hope there's no more problems on this tour," said Math quietly.

* * *

 **JULY 8, 2014 - CRYSTAL PARK THEATER**

" _Maybe you wanna be a pop star  
Get your fifteen minutes of fame, wha, ah! Ah, oh!  
That won't last forever  
But friendship remains the same, ah-oh, oh!_"

Just as Pinkie was singing "ah-oh, oh," the power suddenly went out.

"Oh dear!" whispered Song Cue to Vincent and Math. "What's going to happen now?" Before either could reply, much to their surprise, the Rainbooms carried on the performance of "Friendship Through the Ages" as if nothing had happened.

"Looks like they've got it under control," smiled Math.

"That's a relief," Vincent agreed. "It's almost like they manage to work their way through a crisis."

"That seems to be the case with everything so far," said Comet.

* * *

 **JULY 11, 2014**

Just before yet another show at the town of Clydesdale, some miles north of Rainbow Falls, there was another problem. Fluttershy had lost her voice.

"Great, who's going to sing Fluttershy's parts now?" Rainbow muttered.

"Well... uh... I've been singing your songs you were going to do tonight on the bus," Song Cue said quietly.

"Yeah, and she's really good at it too," added Comet.

"So, would you do it?" asked Rarity.

"I'd love to fill in for my cousin!" Song Cue smiled.

"Looks like you got your wish, my sweetheart." Comet gave his girlfriend a hug. Fluttershy gave a nod of approval and hugged her cousin too.

"I guess it's a yes," said Pinkie.

The show began with the "Got the Music on You"/"Music in the Treetops" medley. Fluttershy was still onstage but just playing her tambourine, while Song Cue sang her part.

" _There's music in the treetops  
And there's music in the vale  
And all around the music fills the sky  
There's music by the river  
And there's music in the grass  
And the music makes your heart soar in reply..._"

The rest of the show that night went without any problems.

* * *

"Great job, guys!" cried Twilight. "Song Cue, you were wonderful."

"Thanks, Twilight," smiled Song Cue.

"Well done, Song Cue," said Masked Puck. "You did gre... uh oh." He turned his attention to a noise outside.

"What's wrong?" asked Math.

"It sounds like someone's trying to get into the tour bus," Masked Puck replied. Everyone rushed to the bus to find some things were gone.

"Hey!" cried Rainbow Dash. "Where's my _Daring Do_ book?"

"My _Warrior Cats_ book _Sunset_ is missing!" gasped Song Cue.

"Oh no!" gasped Comet, breaking into a sob. "Peter Cottontail's gone. That was the last gift I got from my mum for my birthday before she died..."

"Who'd be so cruel to steal from us like that?" asked Vincent.

"I don't know..." trailed Song Cue, giving Comet a hug.

"We've got to track 'em down now before they get away!" Masked Puck announced.

"We'll split up," said Twilight. "Half of us stay here and make sure the thieves don't come back, and the other half chase them down. Oh, and someone needs to call the police."

"Okay," Sunset gave a nod. "Rainbooms, Big Mac, Flash Drive, Twilight and Moon Dancer, we'll go after the thieves. Everyone else, stay here."

"I'll call the police," said Math.

In no time at all, the pursuers were spread out all over Clydesdale.

"Where did you say the thieves went?" asked one of the cops, Spearhead.

"That way," replied Twilight.

"Thank you, miss," said Spearhead. "Hey, you're Shining Armor's little sister, right? I used to live in Canterlot and go to school with him and Shooting Star."

"I am," said Twilight. "It's a small world."

Spearhead and the other cops quickly found clues.

"Footprints, they've been here."

"Looks like they headed towards the school," said another policeman. "I guess it sort of makes sense. No one attends there during summer break."

The two thieves were rushing with their stolen things as quickly as they could. Both had moderate pistachio eyes and moderate red hair with white stripes, and one of them had a mustache.

"Well, dear brother of mine, we got quite a haul tonight, didn't we?" said the one with a mustache.

"We sure have, Flam," said his brother.

"Freeze!" called Spearhead. "You're under arrest!"

"Sounds like we have to bolt, Film," cried Flam.

"Run!" agreed Flim, but the police surrounded them on either side.

"Give the Rainbooms and their friends their things!" demanded Spearhead. "You have no choice."

"Ah should've guessed it'd be you two," muttered Applejack.

"How do you know these guys?" asked Spearhead.

"They tried drivin' mah folks out of business a few years ago," Applejack explained. "Regardin' a 75/25 split an' we had ta beat them to make em leave."

"I was there too," said Rainbow Dash.

"All the Rainbooms and Twilight were," Rarity put in.

"I wasn't," said Sunset.

"Oh... right," Pinkie said quietly.

Flim and Flam reluctantly put the bags down and Applejack and Twilight grabbed them.

"We'll check to see if there's more belongings of yours in the school," said Spearhead.

"Thanks," Rainbow replied.

The group headed back to the bus, but it turned out everything that was stolen was in the bags already.

"Peter Cottontail!" Comet hugged his toy rabbit. "Thank goodness you're safe..."

Fluttershy gave Comet Tail a small nod.

"We're both glad you got it back, Comet," smiled Song Cue.

* * *

Despite all these mishaps, the tour was a great success. Flim and Flam were put on trial, the Rainbooms promised to stay in touch with Vapor Trail, Sky Stinger and the latter's sisters, Spearhead was asked to come over to Twilight's house to see Shining Armor again, and Cheery Jubilee promised to visit Rainbow Falls sometime.

"Hey, why don't we do one final song before we see our families again?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Okay," Fluttershy agreed; her voice long since recovered.

"And we do it... on a building's roof!"

"Uh, why a rooftop concert?" asked Moon Dancer.

"Cause we can," said Rainbow Dash simply.

"Well... as long as we're careful," said Applejack.

"Come on," said Pinkie. "Let's show Rainbow Falls what we got."

* * *

 **JULY 19, 2014**

The idea of the final show being on a rooftop had mixed reactions amongst the group. Some were afraid it might rain and electrocute everybody, whilst others were concerned about getting amplifiers on top of the roof without attracting too much attention.

"Come on, guys," said Rainbow. "Let's go up! This will be fun."

"Did you mention something about the Beatles doing a rooftop concert before they broke up?" asked Song Cue to Vincent.

"During this tour?" asked Vincent. "I hadn't."

"Oh." Song Cue was surprised. "I must have read it online somewhere."

"Or perhaps I did and forgot about that," said Vincent. "But either way, I hope we don't get into trouble with the law over it."

"Ooh..." Song Cue sighed. "I didn't even think of that."

Soon, the Rainbooms set their equipment up for one final show.

"Okay, ladies," Sunset announced. "What song should we do first?"

"Well, Rainbow did suggest the idea," Applejack replied. "So, Ah think she should have first pick."

"Okay," Rainbow agreed. "I'll think we could do 'I'll Fly'."

"It's the one you dedicated to Tank, right?" Fluttershy asked.

"That's the one, alright," said Rainbow Dash.

"Okay, let's do it," said Rarity, and the song started up.

" _When life gives you lemons  
You can make lemonade  
But life gave me Tank here  
And my choice has long been made..._"

"Aww, that's my Dashie," smiled Soarin.

* * *

"Hey, what's happening?" asked Zephyr. He was on a walk with his parents.

"Hey Zephyr, aunt Posey, uncle Cloud Wisp," greeted Song Cue. "Just one last performance before the tour officially closes."

"Where's it at?" asked Posey.

"Let's just say it's a roof raiser," Math replied simply.

"Roof raiser?" asked Cloud Wisp.

"Oh my," gasped Posey. "Our daughter's on the roof with the other Rainbooms."

"They sound wonderful," said Cloud Wisp. "It's hard to believe they've been on tour for so long."

And it wasn't just Fluttershy's family who were hearing the band perform from below.

* * *

"Is that our Pinkie Pie performing?" asked Cloudy Quartz to her husband. They had their other three daughters with them too.

"I'll be damned; it really is her!" exclaimed Igneous Rock.

"I hope she's careful," said Limestone.

"I think they're performing really well," Maud said, a small smile appearing on her usually stoic face.

Marble gave a small nod at Maud in her shy way. "They must have come back today."

* * *

Out on the streets, many people were stopping what they were doing to see the band perform live on the rooftops, a most curious place to stage a concert. Some even went into nearby buildings and up onto the roofs just to get a closer look at the Rainbooms.

On the roads, cars had come to a stop, and people came out with with cameras and microphones either to ask onlookers for their opinion on the concert, or to take photographs and film the concert. By the end of the tenth number, about forty-five minutes into the concert, the Rainbooms were clapped and cheered.

"Whoa!" gasped Applejack. "Ah never expected such a large crowd."

Just as the Rainbooms had finished up "We Got This Together" (with Rainbow Dash and Applejack performing their own parts this time), Moon Dancer saw a few policemen at the back of the group, and they didn't look impressed.

She got out her phone and rang up Sunset's.

"What's up, Moon?" asked Sunset.

"I saw a few policemen that didn't look happy," Moon Dancer reported. "I think you'd better stop the concert."

"Tell them we'll be done in a few minutes," said Rainbow Dash cheekily.

"Rainbow, she's serious," sighed Sunset. "We've finished 'We Got This Together'. That's our last song for the tour."

"Um, yes, I agree," said Fluttershy.

"Can we at least play one more song?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"No." Applejack unplugged her bass and started to put things away.

"Sorry, Dashie," sighed Pinkie. "We'd better go before we get into serious trouble."

"Fine..." muttered Dash, unplugging her guitar. "I was actually getting hungry anyway." As the Rainbooms were getting their gear together, Vincent quickly spoke into a microphone.

"I'd like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves," he said, "and I hope they've passed the audition."

Everyone gave a cheer of approval, and the crowds started to go their separate ways. The Rainbooms' friends went to go and help bring their things down.

"I hope my dad and brother won't be too cross," Twilight said quietly.

"Well, despite a few pitfalls," said Song Cue, "I say your tour was a success, Rainbooms."

"That it was indeed," said Rarity.

"Now, I guess we do need to get home for dinner," said Song Cue. "Hey, Comet, do you want to come back with me?"

"Sure," he replied. Tired and happy, everyone packed up and went for home.

* * *

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

"Wow!" gasped Twilight V. "You got to sing with the Rainbooms, mom?"

"I did indeed," her mother replied.

"And you two did a song together?" Violet glanced over at both her parents. "That's so cute!"

"Yes, Violet," smiled Flash. "Your mother and I did perform together. She's got a great singing voice."

"You made a song about Starlight, mom?" Dawn gasped. "Wow, that's amazing!"

"A lot of the best music comes from personal experience," said Sunset.

"I have to agree with you, aunt Sunset," said Dusk.

"It sure was a tour we'd never forget," Twilight smiled. "Neither would Song Cue and Comet Tail."

 _Ding dong!_

"Sounds like that's them and the kids," gasped Vincent. "I'd better get the door."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **In the original idea, the lights were meant to go out at Dodge Junction, but we ended up putting that at Crystal Park instead. Dodge Junction got the faulty amps as their plague.**

 **Characters that came in were Sky Stinger, his sisters and Vapor Trail from _Top Bolt_ , Cherry Jubilee made a cameo in Dodge Junction a la _The Last Roundup_ , and Spearhead made an appearance from the episode _A Flurry of Emotions_.**

 **A reference was made to the _Emotions' Corner_ episode _Foe Today, Friend Tomorrow_. See if you (aka, the readers) can find it.**


	31. SOTC3 - The Day the World Gets 'Round

Now we've just about caught up again with DA for _Song of the Comet_ 's third chapter. I've changed up my uploading plan slightly as for every new chapter that's finished, the previous chapter will be uploaded. Chapter four is done, but it will be uploaded here when chapter five is done, and so on and so forth.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 3 - The Day the World Gets 'Round (Harrison, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Vincent raced over to the door and answered it.

"Good morning, Vincent," came the cheerful voice of Song Cue. With her was her husband Comet Tail and their children Venus Alto and Mars Soprano.

"We're not too late, are we?" asked Comet Tail.

"No, not at all," said Vincent.

"Great to see you," Venus grinned as the family walked in. Just behind them was a girl about three years older than Venus, and her adopted father with with her.

"Hey, Vincent," she greeted.

"Hello there, Mystic," said Vincent.

"It's great to see you again," she went on. "Now, I'm a little curious. Comet Tail and Song Cue visited me a lot growing up, but... recently I heard they were my... _parents_?"

Comet gazed at Mystic Light II with a hint of sadness in his eyes. Song Cue could sense her husband's grief and hugged him tight.

"Mystic Light..." Song Cue said quietly. "It's quite a long story."

"What happened, mum, dad?" asked Mars. "How _was_ Mystic our sister briefly?"

"And how did she end up with Firelight as a father?" Venus went on; by now the group had come to the family room where the rest of the Sentries were seated.

"It was when school was starting up again," Song Cue began. "Your aunt Heartsong, along with uncle Chip Mint, and Scootaloo, Rumble, First Base and Silver Spoon here had all begun high school, while your father, uncle Orange Sherbet, Twilight, Vincent and I were in our final year..."

* * *

 **AUGUST 25, 2014**

"Hurry, Songs, Orange, the train's going to get there soon!" called Heartsong.

"Sis, it's not a race," chuckled Orange. "What are we? Percy and Harold?"

"No, but I can't wait to get to Canterlot High," said Heartsong.

"Oh yes, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle will be there too," Song Cue realized. "I bet you're excited to be in the same school as them again."

"Yeah," said Heartsong.

The trio got to the platform, where they saw Vincent, Scootaloo, First Base, Sweetie Belle and a boy with brown hair and blue eyes.

"Chip Mint!" Heartsong recognized him at once and hugged him.

"Heya, Heartsong," he smiled in turn.

"You know him?" asked First Base.

"He went to the same middle school as I did," Heartsong explained. "We became besties in our first year, especially after we did a school production."

"That's nice," said First Base.

"Indeed it is," Chip Mint agreed. "So, you guys all met in elementary school, I'm guessing?"

"We did," said Heartsong.

"This will be a lot of fun on our first year," giggled Sweetie Belle. "I can't wait to see what high school has in store for us."

"Hopefully you won't run into as many scrapes as Sunset, Flash and I did," said Vincent.

"I'm sure you guys will have fun," said Song Cue.

"Well, it's great you guys are here and all," Scootaloo told her friends. "Pity Apple Bloom and Fictionary are still in middle school."

"And I'll be in college when Fictionary comes to Canterlot High," said Vincent.

"At least you'll be with Sunset again," Orange commented.

"Yeah," said Vincent. "She's still agreed to see me every now and again, so it's not like we're apart all the time."

"That's good," Song Cue smiled, and then the group heard a tooting noise.

"That'll be our train," said Orange.

The group quickly got on. In the carriage was Twilight, along with Pinkie and her twin sister Marble, Pipsqueak, Rumble and Comet Tail.

"Oh, h-hi Pipsqueak," Sweetie Belle giggled bashfully.

"Hello there, Sweetie Belle," said Pipsqueak. "How was summer?"

"Uh... good," Sweetie Belle replied. "Rarity went on a tour with the Rainbooms. They even invited me to a show on my birthday."

"That's so cool!" said Pipsqueak. "You're lucky to have a sister like Rarity. I wish I had a sibling."

"I wish it was only me and Shooting Star," Comet said sadly.

"Why, do you have other siblings?" asked Rumble.

"Five," said Comet. "All of them hate me. I'm the youngest of seven whilst Shooting Star is the oldest."

"That's not right," gasped Rumble. "My brother Thunderlane and cousin Stormwalker may get into disagreements sometimes, but we still love each other."

No one but Scootaloo noticed that First Base hadn't said a word since they'd boarded the train.

"Hey, bro, what's up?" asked Scootaloo.

"Nothing, really."

"You sure about that?" asked Comet.

"I think I can see what's wrong," said Vincent. "First Base, as your half-brother, you can tell me."

"O-okay, Vincent," First Base looked up timidly. "It's... it's Silver Spoon. I heard she may be going to Crystal Prep."

"Why does it upset you?" asked Vincent.

"Because... I've made friends with her," First Base told him. "I'll miss her during high school."

"Is it also cause... you like her?" First Base's face went bright red and he nearly fainted.

"Whoa, steady there, First Base," called Scootaloo, grabbing her brother.

"S-sorry," he said sheepishly.

"I know the feeling, First Base," Comet assured.

" _The next station is Canterlot High. Please mind the gap between the carriage and platform._ "

"Well, this is it," said Scootaloo.

"Let's go, guys," said Orange, and everyone got out. Fluttershy, Zephyr, Twinkleshine, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Moon Dancer and Morning Roast had gotten out of another coach.

"I can't believe we're at the top of the school this year," Fluttershy said.

"Nor can I," said Moon Dancer. "It feels like yesterday when we were in kindergarten."

"It goes by so fast," said Twilight. "And next year, we'll be in college."

"I can't wait to join Brawly Beats there," Twinkleshine giggled.

"Wasn't he expelled from the school system?" asked Lemon Hearts.

"Oh... I nearly forgot about that..." Twinkleshine sighed.

First Base wasn't listening to their conversation; he was looking down at his feet and didn't notice someone run into him.

"Oh dear," said a female voice. "Sorry... First Base? Is that you?"

First Base's eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice. He looked over to the person who had run into him to see that it was...

"Silver Spoon?!"

"Heh, yes, it's me alright," Silver Spoon replied. "One of my aunts recommended I come here."

"I thought I wouldn't see you at all during high school!" First Base gave her a big hug, causing Silver to blush.

"I-it's good to see you too," she stammered.

"First Base!" called Scootaloo, snapping both him and Silver out of their hug. "We have to get to orientation."

"Oh, right," said First Base. "You coming, Silv?"

"Uh... I suppose so," she nodded. "I'm a bit nervous... what if no one accepts me?"

" _I_ accept you, Silver Spoon," First Base said gently. "Even if no one else does, I'll always be your friend."

"Thank you..." Silver Spoon said quietly.

* * *

The freshmen headed for orientation. As well as Sweetie Belle, Pipsqueak, Scootaloo, Rumble, First Base and Silver Spoon, there were also the likes of two girls and a boy; one girl with light turquoise eyes and light grey hair and another girl with brilliant spring bud eyes and light brilliant tangelo and amber hair. The boy had cream hair and arctic blue eyes.

"Ooh," cried one of the girls. "That guy with blue hair looks cute."

"Oh, he does," agreed the second girl. The compliments made poor First Base nervous.

"Peachy, Sunny!" cried the boy. "Come on. We have to take a seat."

 _Did Vincent and Flash have to put up with that at_ _ **their**_ _orientations?_ First Base thought to himself.

"Sorry about that, mate," the boy apologized. "They do mean well."

 _They better, or else_ _ **I'll**_ _be the one they answer to,_ Silver Spoon thought to herself, hating that two girls First Base didn't even know were hitting on him.

"I've known them since elementary school," the boy explained. "Don't worry. I'll let them know you're not comfortable with it... oh, what was your name? I'm Lickety Split, and the two girls are Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie."

"My name's First Base, and the girls with me are my sister Scootaloo and friend Silver Spoon."

"Pleasure to meet you," Lickety Split shook hands with them. "And, if it helps... I kinda like Peachy Pie."

"You do, huh?" Scootaloo nodded to herself. "Well, you won't see me crushing on anyone."

"Hey Scoots, there's a free seat by me," called Rumble.

"You were saying?" First Base smirked.

"Er..." Scootaloo tried to hide her face. "Y-you didn't see anything!" She bolted toward the seat Rumble saved for her. Heartsong and Sweetie Belle were also nearby, next to Chip Mint and Pipsqeak, giggling.

"I do wonder what the Formal will be like," said Heartsong. "Song Cue said her previous two Formals were magical."

"Didn't you say Song Cue and Orange Sherbet are in their senior year?" asked Chip Mint. "Didn't they go to three already? If so, what happened to Song Cue's first one?"

"They are, and they did, but..." Heartsong trailed off.

"My brother asked Song Cue out to her first one as a friend," Rumble explained. "First there was a love triangle or something, then Comet got too shy to ask and Flitter and Cloudchaser were taken, so... yeah."

"Oh," said Chip Mint.

"Thunderlane did fix things for Song Cue, Comet, Flitter and Cloudchaser," Rumble went on. "Thunderlane's actually dating Cloudchaser right now. Heard Flitter's dating Braeburn."

"Glad to hear Thunderlane, Flitter and Cloudchaser got happy endings," smiled Pipsqueak.

"So am I," said Sweetie Belle.

* * *

Later, during break, Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle, Heartsong, First Base, Silver Spoon, Chip Mint, Rumble and Pipsqueak were eating together. Song Cue, Orange Sherbet, Fluttershy, Zephyr, Vincent and Comet were on the table just next to them.

"How's my big freshman sister doing for her first day?" Song Cue smiled.

"Great so far," smiled Heartsong.

"Have you made new friends?" asked Orange.

"We did meet this guy named Button Mash in one of our classes," Heartsong explained. "He likes video games and we found a common interest in Sonic."

"He went to our middle school," Sweetie Belle explained. "He's nice but he takes his games very seriously."

"Why doesn't he start his own series online?" asked First Base.

"He's thinking about that, actually," Scootaloo replied. "It could be fun to watch."

"Well, dad always says that if you have an ambition, go for it," Silver said with a nod. "Not that we're around each other that much."

"You have an absent dad too, huh?" Comet sighed.

"Well, dad's out a lot, but he and mom do treasure what little time they do have with me," Silver told Comet. "Plus, I have a lot of supportive aunts and uncles."

"Lucky you..." sighed Comet.

"Why, what's happened?" Silver Spoon asked.

"Comet Tail's father is abusive," Song Cue explained sadly. "My family often invites him over to get away from it all." Silver Spoon looked at Comet Tail.

"I don't see any scratches or bruises," she said in confusion.

"That's not what they mean," explained Vincent.

"What you're thinking about is _physical_ abuse, Silver Spoon," Orange explained. "Sunset went through that with Icy Heart. Comet here has _neglectful_ abuse. His father and five of his siblings pretend he doesn't exist."

"Oh my," said Silver. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks..." sighed Comet.

* * *

After school, Song Cue thought Comet needed some real cheering up, so she invited him back to her house. Flutter Butter was there to greet his three kids and Comet in the kitchen with cookies he baked earlier.

"There's my high school children," smiled Flutter Butter, hugging all three of his kids. "Hey there, Comet." He gave him a hug too.

"Hello, Mr. Cue."

"How was your day?" asked Flutter Butter. "Especially your first day, Heartsong."

"It went great," said Heartsong. "Especially since I got to see my friends during school hours again after all this time."

"I'm glad to hear that, Heartsong," Flutter Butter smiled. "You guys are just in time. I was about to decorate these cookies. Want to help?"

"Sure," said Orange. The four teenagers started to decorate the cookies, but Song Cue got a cheeky idea and put some on Comet's nose.

"Boop."

Comet chuckled. "I guess you haven't grown out of that, have you?" He put some icing back on Song Cue's nose. "Boop."

"You two still act like children at times," Orange chuckled.

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get that." Flutter Butter opened up, and there was a girl with moderate magenta eyes and two shades of dark fuchsia hair. She looked to be around Pinkie and Marble Pie's age.

"Good day, Mr. Cue," she greeted.

"Ah, hello Saffron," Flutter Butter smiled.

"You know her?" asked Comet.

"She visits us," Song Cue said, "and I mentioned we know her from middle school." She quickly realized something. "Oh, Saffron, have you met Comet Tail yet? He's my boyfriend."

"You're dating him?" asked Saffron. "Oh, it's nice to meet you, Comet Tail."

"You too, Saffron," he replied, shaking her hand. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I occasionally drop by here when my father has late shifts at the Tasty Treat," she explained. "Sometimes I stay at Pinkie's or Rarity's houses too."

"Song Cue said you and your dad have a great relationship," Comet sighed. "My dad thinks I don't exist."

"My father and I do have disagreements from time to time, but we love each other," Saffron said quietly before bursting out in shock. "How can a father not love their child?!"

"He doesn't think I'm one of the family," said Comet.

Saffron gave Comet a comforting hug. "It seems like your girlfriend's family treats you well."

"They do," said Comet. "Almost like another son to the family."

"You are loved, Comet," she smiled. "Don't listen to what your 'father' says."

"Thanks, Saffron."

"Why don't you guys come to the Tasty Treat for dinner later?" asked Saffron. "I've been helping Father perfect some recipes over the summer."

"That sounds like fun," said Comet. "Can Shooting Star come as well? He's my brother and he's the only one of my family who actually gives me affection."

"I don't see why not," Saffron replied. "But, if I may ask, how many other siblings do you have?"

"Six," said Comet.

"Yeah, his other five siblings are as bad as their father," Orange muttered. "And I believe Cayenne, Electric Sky and Lyra caused our friends some grief, especially at the Fall Formals."

"They really must be that awful," remarked Saffron.

"Yeah, no kidding," sighed Song Cue.

* * *

Later, Saffron, the Cues and Shooting Star headed down to the restaurant. Along with Shooting Star was a woman just his age with moderate opal eyes and moderate rose with lighter tipped hair. What stood out about her was that she was missing her right forearm and elbow.

"Hey Emily," smiled Comet.

"Hey there, Comet," she said, smiling. "How have you been holding up?"

"Doing surprisingly well," said Comet. "I just can't wait to finish high school so I can be rid of the rest of my family."

"I'm surprised we haven't reported them to child services yet," said Shooting Star.

"I was glad to leave my family and move into that flat," Emily Tempest sighed. "My mum shunned me after my arm got removed, and my brother was just as bad."

"Sorry to hear your mother and brother weren't that nice to you," Heartsong sighed.

"It's okay," Emily replied. "I still keep in touch with my dad."

"How did you lose your arm?" asked Song Cue.

"It was a hiking incident," sighed Emily. "I've been saving up my money so I can afford surgery for a new arm someday."

"Yikes..." winced Orange. "Our cousin Butterscotch recently got replacement legs."

"We could help with a fundraiser," suggested Song Cue.

"No, I'm doing alright," said Emily, "but thanks for the offer."

"If you ever do change your mind," Heartsong said, "you know where to find us."

When they got into the Tasty Treat, a man with moderate magenta eyes and two toned dark raspberry hair came walking over.

"Welcome to the Tasty Treat," he greeted. "Little Saffron said you'd be coming."

"That he did, Coriander," said Shooting Star.

"Take a seat, everyone."

Everyone did so and looked at the menu.

"So, you're this Comet Tail I've been hearing a bit about," Coriander smiled.

"I am," he replied.

"It is an honor to have you at our restaurant," Coriander went on. "Shooting Star told me about you over the course of when you were out with your friends on the Rainbooms' tour. I heard you got an A+ in astronomy during your Freshman year."

"Astronomy is my top subject," Comet admitted proudly, before his face turned to a frown. "But... I got an F in political science."

"I heard it was something about a rude teacher," Coriander said quietly.

"Justice Stability was a right bully," said Song Cue.

"Thankfully, Vincent got her fired," Orange explained. "Novo was hired in place of Stability."

"That's a relief to hear," sighed Coriander. "I'm glad to see you're doing better now, Comet. What's your grade for political science now?"

"I got a B+ the last two years," Comet explained. "It's a bit tricky, but Novo is a positive influence on us."

"I'm sure you'll do well for the rest of senior year, Comet," Coriander assured.

Just then, one of the waiters came over. "Coriander, you're needed in the kitchen. We've got a lot of orders tonight."

"Ah, right!" he said. "Sorry to end this conversation early, but duty calls."

"It's alright," said Comet. "You obviously treat your customers well."

Coriander disappeared into the kitchen and the waiter took the orders of Comet, Shooting Star, Emily and Song Cue's family.

"How long has this place been here?" asked Comet.

"I think it was founded in 2009," Shooting Star replied. "Coriander and Saffron moved here when the former got a job offer."

"That's not very long," said Song Cue.

"Indeed so," Shooting Star nodded.

"Do you have any idea where they lived prior to here?" asked Emily. Shooting Star shook his head.

"Coriander said it was a bit of a touchy subject," he admitted. "Though Saffron was about ten or eleven at the time and didn't understand why."

"At least they've settled in nicely to Rainbow Falls," said Heartsong.

"That they have," said Shooting Star.

* * *

Before long, dinner was over, and it was time to go home.

"Why don't we have a quiet stroll to ourselves first?" Comet Tail asked Song Cue.

"That would be lovely, Comet," Song Cue giggled.

"I think Emily and I will go on our own stroll," Shooting Star commented. "The night seems like a peaceful one."

"Wow, Comet, look at all the stars out tonight," Song Cue gasped. "And the moon is practically glowing."

"It's really lovely tonight," said Comet. "But it's not as lovely as you are."

Song Cue's face blushed bright red. "I could say the same for you, my love."

The young couple leaned in close for a kiss, when suddenly, they heard a loud noise.

"Great StarClan, what was that?" cried Song Cue.

"It sounded like a bang," replied Comet. Then, they saw a pair of young adults running away in fright, holding a baby girl. She couldn't be more than a few days old.

"What are they in a hurry for?" asked Comet. Song Cue then saw a bunch of gangsters running toward the couple, with guns.

"That's what!" she cried, and immediately got out her phone. "Hello? I'd like the police service please." The police service was quickly put on, and Song Cue heard the familiar voice of Night Light on the other end.

" _What's the matter, Song Cue?_ " he asked.

"We just saw a couple being chased down by a group of gangsters," she explained.

" _We'll be right there,_ " Night Light replied. " _Over and out._ "

"I hope the parents turn out okay," said Comet.

"I hope those gangsters are caught," Song Cue said worriedly.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Emily Tempest's partially missing right arm is a rough equivalent to Tempest Shadow's broken horn; she was right handed before her accident.**

 **Stormwalker is another name for Cloudchaser, so we decided to call the male Cloudchaser Stormwalker. He's older than Rumble, but younger than Thunderlane and is around Fluttershy's age.**

 **Though not directly mentioned, one of the ways Cayenne "caused grief at the Fall Formals" was when she went out with Flash to the 2009 Fall Formal (he thought it was a friendly gesture but she had a one-sided crush on him). Cayenne tried to steal a kiss from Flash but all that did was make him crash into the cake.**


	32. SOTC4 - Oh My My

Here's chapter four!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 4 - Oh My My (Starr, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

"Song Cue, Comet Tail!" came Sweet Song's voice. "What's happening?"

"It's really bad, mom," said Song Cue. She and Comet Tail quickly explained what had happened.

"Good job on calling the police, Song Cue," Sweet Song said calmly.

Just then, Night Light, Shining Armor and other police officers came over.

"Which way did they go?" asked Shining Armor.

"We saw them go this way," said Comet, pointing at the direction the gangsters chased after the couple.

"Right, let's go."

As the police chased the gangsters, the young couple were getting tired.

"We've got to hide our baby," said the wife.

"But didn't you want to be there for our little girl?" asked her husband.

"Of course I do," the wife replied. "But how can we keep her safe when these gangsters are after us?"

"You have a point, sweetheart," sighed the husband. "We'll have to hide her somewhere safe until we're in the clear." The baby seemed to whimper in fear.

"Oh, my little darling..." her mother whispered. "We'll get you in safe hands." Both gave their little girl one last kiss, then they placed her carefully in a basket and put her near the door to the Tasty Treat, then took off far away so the gangsters wouldn't hurt their precious daughter.

"There they are!" Night Light told his fellow police officers. "R.F.P.D.!" he shouted to the gangsters. But then, there were the sound of two loud bangs, and the young married couple landed on the ground. Blood began spilling out.

"You're under arrest for murder!" cried Shining Armor.

"Er... I think you're mistaken," said the leader, trying to hide his weapon.

"Care to explain why that gun is smoking?"

"Uh... it hit a hot surface."

"Yeah, right," scoffed Shining Armor.

"Uh, dude," said another gangster. "All our bullets are gone. We used the last two on the young couple. I think we're in hot water."

"You are indeed," said Night Light sternly. "You've got a lot of explaining to do down at the station." The police surrounded the gangsters and led them off. Shining Armor sadly glanced at the deceased couple.

 _That could potentially have been me and Cadance,_ he thought with sympathy. "A funeral will have to be organized soon," he said quietly, and went off to find out who their relatives were so he could tell them the depressing news.

* * *

Comet Tail, Song Cue and Sweet Song had started trekking back to the Tasty Treat to rejoin the rest of the group, when suddenly, Comet saw something outside the door.

"What's a basket doing here...?" he said to himself. Then he saw a tiny hand clutch a blanket that was in the basket.

"That can't be... can it?" The tiny baby looked up at Comet shyly, and a small smile appeared on her face.

"H-hello, little one," said Comet, his heart skipping a beat. The baby gave a curious look at Comet. It was as if she was asking him "are you my daddy?"

"It's alright, little one," Comet gently picked the basket up. "Your parents may not be here at the moment, but I'll look after you."

"What's going on, dear?" called Song Cue. Comet showed her and Sweet Song the basket.

"Oh my..." gasped Song Cue. "This must be the baby that the young couple were holding."

"I hope they make it out okay," Sweet Song said to herself.

"I'm afraid not..." sighed Shining Armor. "The couple were shot dead."

"Shot dead?!" cried Comet. "But why?"

"I don't know," Shining Armor shook his head. "Some people are just cruel. Looks like this little one may need to go to an orphanage."

Comet Tail's heart began to race. This poor little baby with no parents to care for her. He felt the same way. His mother died, his father didn't even care, most of his siblings turned a blind eye, and Shooting Star, despite his best efforts was at university most of the time.

"She's not going to an orphanage, I'll take her in," Comet said suddenly.

Everyone looked at him in surprise; he wasn't seriously suggesting this... was he?

"A baby is a massive responsibility, Comet," Sweet Song explained. "Are you sure you can handle it?"

"I can do this, Mrs. Cue," Comet said firmly. "I'm not going to abandon this baby as my poor excuse for a father had done for me."

Comet then looked at the baby girl. She had blue hair with light pink streaks, and brilliant blue eyes.

"My mom had blue hair and eyes, though they were lighter," Comet said to himself. "And mom's favorite color was light pink too..."

"I'll call her... Mystic Light," he nodded firmly. Song Cue felt a tear prick her eye.

"It's perfect," she said quietly.

"S-Song Cue," Comet stuttered. "Er... I... I may need help with... you know, looking after Mystic Light..."

"Of course I will help," Song Cue replied. She always had a soft spot for children, and even kept many of her childhood DVDs and books. Heck, it wasn't unusual for her to like kids' TV shows that came out when she was older.

* * *

Song Cue's family and Comet Tail headed back to the former's house, and Flutter Butter went to find a crib which was in the attic.

"I remember when you were tiny and curled up in here," he smiled, looking at his children.

"You three were so cute back then," Sweet Song gushed. "I remember singing you lullabies each night."

Mystic Light cooed quietly as Sweet Song laid her down in the crib. Song Cue then gently laid the blanket over Mystic Light and sang a lullaby from a Disney movie she had seen.

" _Baby mine, don't you cry  
Baby mine, dry your eyes  
Rest your head close to my heart  
Never to part, baby of mine_

 _Little one, when you play  
Pay no heed what they say  
Let your eyes sparkle and shine  
Never a tear, baby of mine_

 _If they knew all about you  
They'd end up loving you, too  
All those same people who scold you  
What they'd give just for the right to hold you_

 _From your hair down to your toes  
You're not much, goodness knows  
But, you're so precious to me  
Sweet as can be, baby of mine..._"

Mystic Light yawned and was soon fast asleep. Comet Tail gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"Would you like to stay here for the night, Comet?" Song Cue whispered. "So you can stay close to Mystic Light?"

"Sure."

Everyone hopped into bed. Orange Sherbet had a spare bed in his room where Comet Tail slept for the night. It once belonged to Rocky Ripple, but since he moved out, it had become a bed used for his cousins when they have sleepovers. Song Cue and Heartsong shared a room right next door. Little Mystic Light was in the same room as Sweet Song and Flutter Butter.

* * *

The next morning, everyone had to get ready for the day, and, unfortunately, the day in question was a school day.

"Oh dear, I didn't take school into account," Comet said to himself. "I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew..."

"Don't worry," Flutter Butter assured. "Sweet Song and I have alternate days off. I go to work Tuesdays and Thursdays, while Sweet Song goes Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays."

"That's a relief," said Comet.

"Come on, Comet," called Song Cue. "We have to rush to catch the train. Bye, Mom. Bye, Dad. Bye little Mystic Light."

Song Cue hugged both her parents in turn and kissed Mystic Light's forehead.

"Be a good little girl for my parents," she said in a cooing tone. Mystic Light squeaked in response.

"I'll take that as 'I'll be good,'" chuckled Comet, giving a tickle on Mystic Light's hand. The baby giggled in response.

"Last one to the train is Bertie the Bus!" laughed Heartsong as she raced out the door.

"Is she always like that?" asked Comet.

"She's just excited because it's her first year in high school and the first year she gets to be with her friends again," Orange explained.

"Oh, I see."

The three senior students quickly followed Heartsong with their schoolbags.

 _I wonder how the others will take this news?_ Comet thought. His answer came during first break.

* * *

"A baby?!" gasped Fluttershy. "H-how did that happen?"

"Don't you know about the birds and the bees?" asked Zephyr.

"It was nothing like that!" snapped Song Cue, blushing hard. "It takes nine months to conceive a baby, not nine hours! Besides... _that_ stuff seriously creeps me out."

"Anyway," said Comet, "I found baby Mystic Light outside of the Tasty Treat."

"But who would abandon a cute little baby?" asked Pinkie Pie.

"They didn't abandon her," said Comet. "Her parents died in protecting her."

"Dad said a young couple was killed last night," Twilight winced. "I didn't know they were already parents."

"Not even a week into parenthood," sighed Comet. "Why were they killed, anyway?"

"Some people can be just cruel," Saffron sighed. "But your heart was clearly in the right place, Comet. Young Mystic Light would be grateful for you."

"But what will Song Cue and I tell her when she grows up?" asked Comet. "That's a scary question on my mind."

"I'm sure she'll love you even more, Comet," Saffron assured. "You saved her from a nasty situation and she's in proper loving care."

Comet felt a tear of happiness well up inside him.

"T-Thank you, Saffron," he smiled, giving her a hug.

"Could I come over and help look after Mystic Light?" asked Saffron.

"Sure," he replied.

* * *

After school, Comet, Saffron and the Cues got back to the Cues' house, and little Mystic Light was awake in her crib.

"Hey, Mystic Light," Saffron smiled. "I'm Saffron Masala, but you can call me 'Auntie Saffron'." She covered her eyes with her hands. "Where have I gone?" She quickly moved her hands away. "Peek-a-boo."

Mystic giggled and tried to reach her hand up to touch Saffron's.

"I think she likes you," Comet chuckled, reaching in and picking up the infant.

"She's so precious," Saffron grinned.

Song Cue went to get Mystic Light a bottle, when everyone heard a knock at the door.

"That can't be Fluttershy," Song Cue said to herself. "She's got a shift at the animal shelter this afternoon."

"I've got the door, darling," called Sweet Song. "You get Mystic Light her bottle."

"Okay, mom."

Sweet Song opened up, but was shocked to see a young adult about the same age as Big Mac and Limestone Pie.

"Hello, mother."

"R-R-Rocky Ripple?!" gasped Sweet Song. "What are you doing here?"

"I helped him get out of that dump known as military school," sneered a girl that looked like she would have been a recent graduate from high school.

"I've heard of you from Rainbow Dash," Song Cue said, having heard the commotion from the kitchen and holding the bottle in her hand. "You're Lightning Dust."

"You must be one of Rocky Ripple's little siblings," smirked Lightning. "Fluttershy, I guess?"

"Song Cue," she corrected with annoyance. "Fluttershy is our cousin, I think you'll find."

"Hey, what's with the bottle, sis?" Rocky rolled his eyes. "Don't tell me you're still playing dolls."

"She isn't playing with dolls," said a voice. Comet had come walking over, carrying Mystic Light in his hands. She gave a confused babble at Rocky and Lightning.

"Is this your loser boyfriend, sister?" Rocky smirked. "And I have a niece now? I can't believe he knocked you up before you graduated."

"It's not like that, you dodo!" growled Orange. "Why have you even come back to us anyway?"

"Why am I here?" Rocky snapped. "I've come back to get revenge on you. You guys had abandoned me and were living like I was never here to begin with!" Comet had a lot of pity on his face.

 _Could I have ended up like... him?_ he thought with worry.

"We tried to be there for you, but you kept shutting us out," Orange sighed.

"Why would you do that to us?" asked Song Cue. "What we done to deserved it?"

"There's no way I'll tell you," Rocky growled.

"We could have helped you, Rocky," Orange sighed.

"It's too late for that now!" he retorted. "You two and Heartsong got all of our parents' love and affection. It was taken from me when you guys were born!"

Rocky was about to attack Orange. But before he could lay a punch, Comet went and hit Rocky first; he had just handed Mystic Light to Flutter Butter before attacking Rocky. Song Cue stared in shock; Comet hated violence, he said so himself.

"If you hadn't been so bitter, you could have shared your parents' love with your siblings!" Comet growled. "Your siblings and parents loved you very much, but my dad and most of my siblings hated me. I could have ended up bitter like you, but I let kind people in my heart."

"I did let someone in," Rocky retorted. "Lightning understood what I was going through."

"But was it for the right reasons?" Comet asked.

"Of course it was," Lightning put in. "We both had all we strived to be taken away from us."

"All because you were reckless and didn't think your actions through!" snapped Song Cue. Mystic started to whimper at the noise.

"It's alright," whispered Flutter Butter, holding her close. Mystic seemed to snuggle close to this man she'd only known for about a day.

"If you're not willing to change, then you have to get out!" snapped Sweet Song.

"So you still hate me," Rocky growled. "I knew it. You'll regret this, mother, and so will all of you!"

"The only one who'll be sorry is you," said Song Cue.

"Yeah, right," Lightning shook her head. "Come on, Rocky. Your family don't seem very welcoming."

"What's going on?" asked Heartsong. She and Saffron walked over just as Rocky and Lightning rushed out of the house.

"Maybe we'll try Fluttershy's house," Lightning smirked.

"An old face I hoped not to see again," muttered Orange.

"N-not Rocky Ripple," gasped Heartsong.

"Who's that?" asked Saffron.

"Our older brother," explained Song Cue.

"He wasn't very nice to us," Orange sighed.

* * *

Meanwhile, unknown to what happened, Shining Armor was talking to Cadance on a bench.

"That could have been us..." he sighed, still in shock by the young couple's death.

"You tried your best, dear," Cadance said reassuringly. "Besides, where did you say that newborn was at?"

"You're not going to believe this, Cadance," Shining said quietly. "Comet's taken her in."

"He has?" asked Cadance.

"He didn't want the baby to feel neglected like he did," Shining replied.

"Top Marks hasn't been arrested for that?" asked Cadence.

"Now that you mention it, Cadance, I'll have to tell dad about this urgently."

Just then, Cadance saw Rocky Ripple and Lightning go by.

"Who are those two?" asked Cadance.

"I think I heard about something regarding two kids escaping from a military school," said Shining Armor.

"Maybe that's them," Cadance gasped.

"Hey! You two!" Shining Armor called out, standing up. "Stop right there!"

"Uh-oh!" cried Rocky Ripple. "I heard that Shining Armor was made a police officer after he graduated."

"Let's get outta here!" exclaimed Lightning Dust.

"Run for it!" cried Rocky and they split up. Lightning tried to race away, but she tripped over another bench's legs.

"Got you!" Shining cried. "Back to military school for you." Rocky tried to rush out through an alley, but Whiplash was there.

"Where do you think you're going, punk?"

"Uh... I think I went the wrong way," Rocky gulped.

"Come on, back to military school with you!" Whiplash forcibly grabbed his arm.

"Let me go!" cried Rocky indignantly.

"Not a chance, buddy," Whiplash sneered. "You were not permitted to leave military school!"

Rocky Ripple felt frustrated. How dare his parents send him to military school when he finished middle school. How dare his siblings and cousins carry on like nothing's happened. It must have been a long time, considering at least one of his siblings has a romantic partner.

* * *

Back at the Cues' house, they, Comet and Saffron were worried.

"We'd better inform Fluttershy's and Butterscotch's families!" Orange cried.

But just then, there was a knock.

"I got it," said Orange, and it was Cadance. He sighed with relief upon seeing her.

"Cadance," he said, "Rocky's on the loose with someone called Lightning Dust. Could you tell Shining Armor?"

"He already knows," she replied.

"That was quick," said Song Cue, she was feeding Mystic Light by now.

"Aww, is this the baby you and Comet took in?" asked Cadance. "She looks so sweet."

"Yep," said Comet. "I named her in honor of my mother."

"Has Twilight told you Shining Armor and I are starting a family?" Cadance asked.

"Yes," smiled Song Cue. "She mentioned it on the Rainbooms' tour. Congratulations to you two."

"Thank you," smiled Cadance. "We're not sure if we're expecting a boy or girl yet."

"I wonder..." Song Cue said thoughtfully. After Mystic Light finished her bottle, Song Cue held her near Cadance.

"Hello there, little one," smiled Cadance. "Do you know if it's a boy or girl I'm having?"

Song Cue then realized Mystic Light didn't pay interest to Cadence's unborn child.

"I think it's a girl."

"What makes you guess that, Song Cue?" asked Comet.

"Well, I've read somewhere that if babies or toddlers don't pay attention to an unborn child, it's the same gender. If they do, it's the opposite," she explained.

"Sounds kind of odd," said Comet. "How is that possible?"

"Babies can be smarter than we let on," Saffron chuckled. "And it seems like Mystic is becoming a smart little one already." She lightly tapped Mystic's nose.

* * *

Later that day, when Lightning and Rocky were back at the military school, Shining Armor met up with Night Light at the police station.

"How are you doing, son?" asked Night Light.

"Doing alright," his son replied. "But there had been something on my mind prior to catching those punks."

"What's on your mind, Shining?"

"It's about Comet Tail," he explained.

"Twilight's friend she met in Canterlot Middle?" Night Light said thoughtfully. "Yes, he's shaping up to be a very polite young man."

"He sure is... and, he also took in the orphaned baby Mystic Light," Shining pointed out. "It's because he didn't want the baby to feel unwanted like he did by his father."

"You mean Top Marks?" asked Night Light.

"Yes," Shining sighed. "Apparently, Top Marks had neglected Comet Tail since the day he was born."

"Neglect since day one?" gasped Night Light. "This is serious. Even so, son, we need to look into just how bad this is."

* * *

Back at the Cue house, Comet, Saffron and the Cues were sitting on the couch; Mystic Light in Comet's arms.

"Don't you worry, Mystic," he whispered. "Remember, you are loved. Saffron, the Cues and I will all be here for you. And I will not fall bitter as Rocky Ripple has done."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Mystic Light II's light pink in her hair is a reference to her pony having a light pink coat.**


	33. SOTC5 - The World Tonight

Here's chapter five! Believe it or not; this chapter came out way longer than we'd initially thought it was going to be. In fact, it's the second longest of the series overall, much less of _Song of the Comet_!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 5 - The World Tonight (McCartney, 1997)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

A good first impression is always important when arriving at a new workplace or school. When Morning Roast first attended Canterlot High School the year previous, first impressions from her peers were... rather interesting, to say the least.

During her first few weeks as a sophomore, she wore earrings made from carrot sticks. "They help me see better," she said to anyone who'd listen. This, of course, caused many students to believe she was crazier than they'd first thought.

"Is she alright?" asked Terramar to Moon Dancer.

"Uh... for Morning Roast, it's... normal?" Moon Dancer said with uncertainty.

"My sister and cousin can be random sometimes," Terramar admitted, "but I don't think they've done anything like that..."

Moon Dancer put her hand on her forehead with worry. If Terramar didn't think this was normal, how would she expect others to?

 _How am I going to break this to her?_ she thought to herself.

* * *

Meanwhile, Morning Roast was eating with Silverstream, Smolder, Gallus, Yona, Ocellus and Sandbar.

"Hey, Morning Roast?" asked Smolder. "Have ya noticed you got something, er... on your ears?"

"I did," she said. "They're carrot earrings. I made them myself."

"My cousin Skystar makes things all the time," Silverstream commented, "but I've never seen her make things out of carrots."

"They say don't play with your food," said Morning Roast, "but they never say anything about _wearing_ food."

"Won't the earrings go moldy?" asked Gallus.

"Those can easily be replaced."

"If Morning Roast want carrot earrings, Yona see no harm with that," Yona said firmly.

"I guess you have a point there, Yona," Sandbar nodded thoughtfully. "You have my support, Morning Roast."

"Thanks, Sandbar."

"What else have you made, Morning Roast?" asked Ocellus.

"Well," Morning Roast smiled, "I've got a book of things I've made or are planning to make at some point."

She got it out and showed it to her friends.

"Is that a drawing of a four-leaf clover ring?" asked Silverstream.

"Wear it all day long, and nothing bad will happen to you," Morning Roast explained. "It's bully-proof."

"I wish Thorax had that, it would have helped him," Ocellus sighed.

"Thorax?" asked Morning Roast.

"My cousin," Ocellus explained.

"What happened with your cousin?" Morning Roast asked.

"Well... Thorax and his older brother Pharynx had a harsh life," Ocellus explained. "Their father, my uncle, was gone for most of their lives, while their mother, my aunt, abused them. My parents took custody of them before Pharynx got into middle school."

"That would explain why they were at your house whenever we visited," Smolder said quietly.

"That's just awful!" gasped Silverstream. "What kind of person would be so cruel to abuse their own kids?"

"And the worse part is... some of it may have rubbed off on Pharynx too," Ocellus added.

"Ouch," said Gallus.

"Maybe I can make a four leaf clover ring for Thorax," Morning Roast offered. "It may make Pharynx act like a good brother for once."

"That would be nice," smiled Ocellus.

"Glad to be of help, Ocellus," Morning Roast replied.

"Does Morning Roast have anything to help stop fear of water?" asked Yona.

"I think I have a charm bracelet from water lilies in here somewhere," Morning Roast looked in her book.

"Ah, there it is. Found it." She showed Yona a picture of the bracelet.

"Water lilies make pretty bracelet," she smiled.

"I could make one for you, Yona," Morning Roast said to her.

"You make Yona very happy!" Yona gave Morning Roast a sisterly hug.

"Kind of... tight..." Morning Roast managed to say.

"Oh... sorry..." Embarrassed, Yona moved back into her seat.

"I know how that feels," Smolder remarked. "But Yona does mean well."

"I know," said Morning Roast.

"You certainly have a talent in the art department," Gallus commented. "Things I wouldn't even come up with."

"Thanks," said Morning Roast.

"Maybe we and Skystar can do crafts sometime," Silverstream put in. "The two of us often make things out of shells."

"That would be great," Morning Roast grinned. "I don't think I've made things with seashells before. I wonder what they'd do..."

Just then...

"Ugh!" groaned Sandbar. "Not the bell again!"

"Why do they always do that?" asked Gallus.

"To signal to get back to class," Ocellus said in a matter-of-factly manner.

"I'm probably going to fall asleep," sighed Gallus.

"Don't underestimate yourself, Gallus," Silverstream said in her usual peppery way.

"We'd better hurry if we don't want to be late," Sandbar sighed. "Catch you later, Roast."

"I'll see you later, Sandbar and friends," said Morning Roast.

* * *

Morning Roast's next class was cooking. Some other students there were Gabby, who was Gallus' adoptive younger sister, Zephyr, Saffron Maslasa and Moon Dancer.

"Aren't carrots supposed to be for eating?" asked Gabby.

"I do eat carrots," Morning Roast replied. "But carrot earrings help me see better. Doesn't everyone have carrot earrings?"

"I wouldn't say everyone," Zephyr replied. "It's such a dumb idea." That seemed to hit a strong chord with Morning Roast.

"That's not what Sandbar and his friends said!" she gasped. Moon Dancer stared in shock, and guilt seemed to claw into her.

 _I'd be lying if I said I didn't see this coming,_ she thought to herself.

"For your information, Zephyr Breeze," Morning Roast growled, "I work very hard on these projects! I'm planning to make stuff for Ocellus' cousin Thorax and Yona later, at least they appreciate what I do!"

"Zephyr!" snapped the teacher. "Are you cooking up a cake, or a storm?"

"Um, a cake, ma'am?" he replied hastily.

"Get back to baking for goodness' sake, and stop bugging Morning Roast."

Morning Roast looked gratefully at the teacher, then looked over at Moon Dancer, who hadn't said a single word to back her up.

* * *

That afternoon after school, everyone started to head for the train.

"I can't wait to tell Thorax about his new four-leaf clover ring," smiled Ocellus to Morning Roast.

"I bet he'll love it when I finish it," said Morning Roast.

"Yona can't wait for water lily bracelet either," she added.

"I'll see if I can get them in different colors," Morning Roast said.

"Could Morning Roast try pink and yellow?" asked Yona.

"I don't see why not."

Moon Dancer had trailed behind with Twilight, Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts and Minuette.

"You alright there, Moon?" asked Lemon Hearts.

"I... witnessed something in cooking class today," Moon Dancer said quietly.

"Ooh, what is it?" asked Minuette. "Something cool?"

"Quite the opposite, Min," sighed Moon Dancer. "Zephyr called Morning Roast's carrot earrings... dumb."

"Oh, well, that al- what?!" Minuette gasped in shock.

"That's not cool," said Twinkleshine.

"Zephyr said those things?" gasped Fluttershy; she and her cousins had caught up with Twilight's group.

"I thought making comments about Rainbow's posterior was bad," said Orange.

"You're telling me," Song Cue agreed. "Poor Morning Roast. I bet you gave him a stern telling off, Moon Dancer."

"Erm..." Moon Dancer didn't know what to say.

"Moon," Twilight's voice was on edge. "What happened back there, exactly?"

"I-I... I saw what happened..." Moon Dancer stammered, "but... I didn't say anything."

"Why not?!" Twilight gasped. "Morning Roast is your sister for Nazareth's sake."

"I think Morning Roast feels very hurt right now!" This came from Comet Tail who had overheard the conversation. "Knowing her own sister wouldn't support her in a time like this!"

"I wanted to be there for her, but I just wasn't sure what to say," Moon Dancer cried. "I didn't want to be made fun of."

"Is _that_ what was holding you back?!" snapped Morning Roast, turning her attention to her older sister.

"Oh, bother," said Twinkleshine, sounding nervous.

"Have you been ashamed of me this whole time, Moon Dancer?" Morning Roast continued. "I thought I knew you better than this. I thought I could trust you to be there for me!"

"It's not what you think," Moon Dancer desperately tried to explain.

"Just what was it?"

"Well..." Moon Dancer wondered how to word this.

"You hate me, don't you?" Morning Roast said bitterly. "You think I'm too weird to be your sister."

"No! It's not that at all!" protested Moon Dancer. But Morning Roast wasn't willing to listen, and she hopped onto a different carriage to her sister when the train arrived.

"Were you trying to be like my siblings?" Comet accused Moon Dancer.

"Of course not!" protested Moon Dancer. "I'm nothing like Lyra!"

"Then why are you acting distant to her?" asked Song Cue.

"I guess... we've grown apart in recent years," Moon Dancer sighed.

"When did this start?" asked Orange.

"During middle school," Moon Dancer began, and here's what Moon Dancer told her friends:

* * *

 **AUGUST 23, 2010**

Moon Dancer, Twinkleshine, Minuette and Lemon Hearts met up with each other at the school gate on their first day in eighth grade.

"Pity Twilight's at Canterlot Middle and not with us," sighed Lemon Hearts.

"We'll see her outside of school hours," said Minuette. "We've been doing that since we started at Rainbow Falls Middle."

"Speaking of starting middle school," Twinkleshine put in, "isn't Morning Roast supposed to be starting today, Moon Dancer?"

"She is," said Moon Dancer. "I think Morning Roast is around here somewhere."

"Surprise!" Morning Roast cried. Minuette yelped and jumped into Lemon Hearts' arms.

"Hey, what was that for, Min?" asked Lemon Hearts.

"Sorry." Minuette looked embarrassed and the two girls straightened themselves out. "You really got us, Morning Roast."

"I'll bet I did," said Morning Roast.

"Excited for your first day at middle school?" asked Twinkleshine.

"I sure am, now that I get to be with my big sister," said Morning Roast.

"Glad to hear you're excited to be with Moon Dancer," smiled Minuette.

* * *

Morning Roast may have been excited, but for Moon Dancer, it quickly turned into a year of hell for her.

"Look at this!" said Morning Roast to some students. "I colored in some paper to look like a ladybug and made a bracelet. It brings good luck."

"Have you had any good luck today?" said one of them.

"Well, dad packed me a cupcake he baked today for a snack," Morning Roast replied. "That's lucky."

"If you made the bracelet today at school, that would have been done before you made the bracelet," the second student retorted. "So I wouldn't count that."

"Morning Roast," came Moon Dancer's voice, "what's going on?"

"Just showing some kids a bracelet I made," she replied innocently.

"You know this girl?" asked one of the students to Moon Dancer.

"She's my little sister."

"She's got some wild ideas," the second student remarked.

 _Wild ideas?_ thought Moon Dancer. _That's what they think of Morning Roast? What_ _if they think_ I'm _strange because I'm related to her?_

"So what if my ideas don't line up with yours?" Morning Roast replied firmly. "You guys are too normal."

The students who had mocked her were left speechless at the burning comment she'd just given them. Morning Roast just skipped off in her usual way.

 _She handled them better than I thought,_ Moon Dancer thought to herself.

* * *

But as the days carried on, the bullies tried to say something to shake Morning Roast's emotions, but she'd continue to ignore them.

"She's no fun," muttered one of the bullies.

"Maybe we can try her older sister instead," the second bully grinned. "Look, there she is, playing ball with those friends of hers."

And the bullies seemed to turn up at the right time; Lemon Hearts accidentally hit the ball too far away and Moon Dancer was racing to get it. She bumped right into the bullies.

"Why does your sister come up with such wacky ideas?" sneered one bully.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You know, bracelets bringing good luck or charms that help you not fear water," another bully went on. "They don't work."

"My sister believes it _does_ work," Moon Dancer said. "So, what gives?"

"So, you're crazy like her then?" chuckled the third bully. "I guess it runs in the family."

"I don't think of those silly little ideas!" snapped Moon Dancer suddenly.

"Why don't you tell your sister they are silly?" chuckled the first bully.

"What?" Moon Dancer gasped. "I-I can't. She's my sister." The bullies just left at that.

"I... don't think Morning Roast's ideas are silly," Moon Dancer said quietly. "But others might... Maybe I should try to convince her to keep her ideas at home."

* * *

That afternoon, Evening Star came to pick up his daughters.

"How are my middle school girls today?" he asked, giving them both hugs.

"Today was fun, dad," said Morning Roast.

"That's great, Roast," Evening Star smiled, kissing her forehead. "How about you, Moon?"

"Uh... good, dad," Moon Dancer replied. "I wrote a good story in creative writing today, and my friends played ball at break."

"That's wonderful, Moon," said Evening Star. "What was it about?"

"It was about a unicorn and an alicorn who would go to the library and learn new spells together," Moon Dancer said proudly.

"An alicorn?" asked Morning Roast. "I'd never heard of those before."

"I was trying to think of a name for a unicorn with wings," Moon Dancer told her sister, "and it seemed to click."

"I like it," smiled Morning Roast.

"Thanks, sis." Moon Dancer hugged her. She then thought to herself, _Alicorn - that's a word I'd never thought I'd use. Maybe my sister and I aren't as different as I thought. She can carry on doing what she's doing... I hope I don't continue to get bullied..._

But the rest of Moon Dancer's year at middle school didn't improve. The bullies kept picking on her, and she didn't tell anyone, not even Morning Roast.

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 4, 2014**

"Bullied?" Twilight gasped when Moon Dancer had finished.

"Afraid so, Twilight," Moon Dancer sighed. "It didn't bother Morning Roast in middle school so much due to less people doing it. Maybe because she was younger and could, 'get away with it'." Moon Dancer air quoted on that bit. "But I guess she may have started letting it get to her in high school. And... I did too."

"That's rough," Heartsong sighed. "Mine and my older siblings' parents thought we'd get bullied at Canterlot Middle due to Rocky Ripple's behavior. Only, he wasn't a nice person."

"But if you and Morning Roast aren't on good terms," said Vincent, "where do you think you'll go?"

"Do you mean like when you and Flash had that fight and you lived at Math's house for a while?" asked Moon.

"Yeah, something like that," said Vincent.

"I could... er..."

"We've had a spare room since Shining Armor's moved out to live with Cadance. Maybe you could stay with us," Twilight suggested.

"Well... I guess I could," Moon Dancer agreed.

"I'll have to let my parents know about this," said Twilight. She got her phone out and rang her mom's phone.

" _Hello dear,_ " smiled Twilight Velvet. " _What's up?_ "

"Is it alright if Moon Dancer stays with us for a while?" Twilight asked. She then explained about the situation between her and Morning Roast.

" _I understand,_ " Twilight Velvet replied. " _I'll get the spare room ready when I'm back from the shop._ "

"Okay, mom," said Twilight. Moon Dancer was talking to her father about the current situation as well.

" _Are you sure, Moon?_ " asked Evening Star.

"I just want to give Morning Roast some space," she said.

" _Alright,_ " Evening Star sighed. " _Hope you can make things right between each other. I'll bring some things down later._ "

"Thanks, dad. I love you."

" _Love you too, sweetie._ "

* * *

Meanwhile, in the other carriage, Morning Roast wasn't faring well at all.

"If Moon Dancer thinks I'm weird, I guess everyone else does too."

"Moon Dancer said that?" gasped Spike. "Are you sure? That doesn't sound like her at all."

"Well, she said she didn't want to be made fun of when she saw what was going on with me being bullied," Morning Roast explained.

"Morning Roast..." Spike sighed. "I had a fight with Twilight once too. When I was new to living with her, I was so grateful for that, I tried 'helping' her with everything. Giving her breakfast, doing her homework, marking her calendar, you name it. But I either made mistakes or did things too well and Twilight felt like I was in her personal space, so... I nearly ran away."

"Oh my," said Morning Roast.

"I nearly got caught by Garble, who was living with a foster family at the time," Spike went on. "But Twilight... she came back for me, along with Shining Armor." He then chuckled as he said, "Shining even threatened to arrest Garble, even though he wasn't a police officer yet."

"I guess Garble really thought Shining was a police officer," chuckled Morning Roast.

"Shining is always protective of others, especially his family," Spike admitted. "And I'm sure Moon Dancer is like that too."

"You really think so?"

"Indeed. If she was a bad person, she'd feel no regret for what she did," Spike assured, giving Morning Roast a comforting hug.

"Thanks, Spike," smiled Morning Roast. "I will tell you someone who didn't have any regrets: Lyra Heartstrings."

"Comet's sister that our older sisters were once friends with?" Spike asked in shock.

"That's her, alright," said Morning Roast. "She was two grades above my sister, your sister and their friends."

"Twilight told me that she thought something was off with Lyra when she first met her at elementary school," Spike told Roast. "In hindsight, that should've been a red-flag warning to her behavior..."

"Do you know what she did?" asked Morning Roast. "Has Twilight told you the story?"

"Twilight's made a speech about toxic friends in one of her classes once, and she used Lyra as an example," Spike replied. "I've heard the story lots of times when she was practicing."

"It started back a few ago," Spike began, "when our sisters were in freshman year with Twinkle, Min and Lemon..."

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 26, 2011**

Twilight had met up with Lemon Hearts, Minuette, Twinkleshine and Moon Dancer on the way home.

"Twink, Min, Lemon, did you three manage to find dates?" asked Twilight.

"I met Rarity's younger cousin Jokerstrapp," Minuette said. "He's a little goofy, but we hit it off and we're going to the Formal."

"I'm going with Brawly Beats," said Twinkleshine.

"Autumn Leaf was a bit shy asking me," Lemon Hearts told the others, "but he's such a gentleman."

"Glad you three managed to get that under control," said Moon Dancer. "I'm just going to be chatting with friends all night."

"Not interested, huh?" asked Lemon Hearts.

"Nah," shrugged Moon Dancer. "I wouldn't be caught dead flirting with anyone."

But as the five friends carried on walking, they heard a commotion coming from the trees nearby the school.

"Y-you don't feel the same way?!"

"That's Song Cue!" gasped Twinkleshine. The girls rushed over to see Flitter giving Comet a big hug, and Song Cue in tears.

"Trying to ask me out and then running to ask Flitter instead?!" Song Cue sputtered. "How could you, Comet?"

"I-I didn't ask her!" Comet tried to explain. "It was..."

"I don't want your excuses!" snapped Song Cue. "Just go with her if that's what you're going to be like."

She rushed off to join her brother and cousin, who had also witnessed the heartbreaking scene and gently led her away.

"Oh, Vincent..." Twilight muttered. "Good going ruining a potential romance."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Lemon Hearts. Twilight explained about what had happened earlier with Vincent, Comet, Cloudchaser and Flitter.

"Ooh..." sighed Moon Dancer. "Poor Song and Comet."

At that moment, Cloudchaser had found Flitter and the sisters started for home, leaving Comet very upset.

"I'll never gain Song Cue's affections now..." he sighed. Twilight and her friends walked over to Comet, who was sobbing by now.

"Comet..." Twinkleshine put a hand on his shoulder in comfort.

"What...?" he asked, not looking up.

"We're sorry that didn't go to plan," Minuette gently gave him a sisterly hug.

"I'll see if I can find Song Cue tomorrow and explain what's happened," Twilight told Comet. "I can just tell she likes you."

"You sure?"

"Indeed," Twilight went on. "Just last week, she was trying to find a love song that fit the two of you to practice on her karaoke machine."

Comet felt a tear of happiness run down his face. "Oh... thank you, Twilight." Little did Comet and the girls realize that Lyra had witnessed the whole conversation.

"Comet may actually end up with the girl he wants?" she said to herself. "Not if I can help it."

* * *

The next day, Twilight met up with Applejack, Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

"We've got to find Song Cue and tell her what Vincent did," she explained.

"Indeed," said Rainbow. "Is she in any of our classes today?"

"Ah think she's in cookin' class wit' me," said Applejack.

"And she's in music class with me," said Rarity.

"Good," said Twilight. "If all else fails, we'll tell her at break."

Lyra and her twin sister Electric Sky were watching.

"We've got to keep those four away from Song Cue," Lyra explained, "so she doesn't end up going to the Formal with Comet Tail."

"How do we do that?" asked Electric Sky. "Any classes one of us shares with them?"

"I've got music with Rarity and Song Cue," Lyra told her. "What about you? When's cooking for you?"

"Er... third period."

"Same as Song Cue and Applejack."

"Alright then," said Electric Sky. "It'd be easier if Rare Find, Cayenne or Neon Lights were still in high school. Then there'd be five of us to tackle this."

"Would be," said Lyra, "but we couldn't all be at the school at the same time."

"That'd be weird," Electric Sky admitted. "Come on, we'd better get to our first class of the day."

* * *

The day went uneventfully until third period came up. As well as Applejack, Song Cue and Electric Sky, other students there included Applejack's older brother Big Mac and two junior students named Ember (Smolder's older cousin) and Thorax.

"Alright, everyone," said the cooking teacher. "I want us all to bake some fruit tarts today. Choose a partner and split the jobs between you."

She started handing the recipe out.

"Hey, Songs, want ta be partners?" asked Applejack. Before Song Cue could reply, Electric Sky jumped in.

"Actually, I want to work with Song Cue today."

"Really?" asked Song Cue. "Why you, of all people?"

"Oh, you know, the teachers encourage us to work with different people," Electric Sky said simply.

"Erm... if you say so," said Song Cue, unsure.

"Well, er... since that is true..." Applejack admitted, "Ember, ya want to work with me?"

"I suppose it is good to broaden our friendships," Ember shrugged. "Why not, Applejack? Let's try."

"How about you, Thorax?" asked Big Mac. "Want ta buddy up with me?"

"That'd be fine with me," said Thorax. Other partners got together too, and they sorted the jobs.

"So, which fruit do you want in the middle, Song Cue?" asked Electric.

"I've always liked strawberry tarts," Song Cue replied, feeling very baffled.

"Yeah, strawberry sounds nice," Electric said cheerfully.

"It's Comet's favorite," Song Cue said quietly. "Maybe I can give it to him as an apology present for yelling at him yesterday."

 _Apology present?!_ Electric thought to herself. _Oh no! They'll talk it out, realize what's happened and have a happy time at the Formal. But wait; Song Cue can't give the tarts to Comet if they're burnt,_ she realized. _I just need to set the oven timer for a bit over the time needed for them to bake._

Song Cue and Electric quickly made the tarts and put them in the oven. Song Cue had set the timer to the right time.

"Now I can never remember where they keep the towels in here," Song Cue said to herself.

"They're just over by the front bench," Ember called.

"Right; thanks, Ember." Song Cue and Ember went over to get one, just as Electric put the timer on an extra five minutes. Neither saw it.

"How was working with Applejack?" asked Song Cue.

"Went well, though, you'd never guess what tarts we made."

"Which ones? Apple tarts?"

Ember shook her head. "Pear tarts."

"But I thought AJ wasn't a fan of pears," said Song Cue, puzzled.

"It was for her grandfather," Ember explained. "His birthday is coming up soon."

"Oh, now I get it," Song Cue realized. "For Kirk Pear and in honor of her mother Pear Butter." Song Cue then explained to Ember about her idea for Comet's apology present.

"Good idea," Ember nodded. "I'll have to remember that one."

Later on, everyone was getting their tarts out of the ovens.

"That's odd," said Song Cue as she was drying the last few dishes. "The oven timer hasn't gone off yet."

Just then, the smoke alarm went off.

"What in the name of sweet apples?!" gasped Applejack.

"That must be my tarts!" cried Song Cue. She rushed over and got them out.

"Oh no!" she gasped. "They're ruined. I can't give these to Comet."

"Seems like you set the oven for too long," Electric said quietly.

"That's impossible!" snapped Song Cue. "I double checked the timer before getting the drying cloth."

"Song Cue," the teacher said calmly, "it was a mistake. No one got hurt. I've made that same mistake too many times during my freshman year."

"But I double checked it," she insisted.

"In that case... someone must have meddled with the controls." The teacher got everyone's attention. "Own up. Who fiddled with the oven?"

"Big Mac and I were at the oven next to Song Cue," said Thorax. "When she went to get the cloth, I saw Electric do something to the dial."

"Electric Sky!" snapped the teacher. "You're going to be suspended from cooking class. Accidentally setting the wrong time is one thing, but fiddling with it on purpose is another!" Electric tried to say something, but no words came out.

"Off to Principal McCracken's office with you!" she bellowed. "If you try to back out, I'll increase your suspension." Electric Sky reluctantly left the room; she did not want to further infuriate the teacher.

"Do ya'll want some of our apple tarts, Song Cue?" Big Mac offered.

"No thanks, Big Mac," she sighed. "You and Thorax worked hard on them, so you two split them between you."

"Uh, Songs..." Applejack began. "About Comet..." Just then the teacher looked at the clock.

"Time for next class!" Everyone rushed off, and Applejack couldn't tell Song Cue about what had happened.

"Oh, applesauce..." she muttered. "Hope Rarity has better luck."

* * *

In music class, Song Cue was with Rarity, Lyra and a few others like Sugar Belle, Prism Strike and Double Diamond.

"Today we're going to be practicing our singing," the teacher smiled. "You lot will have to practice a song you really enjoy, and then when you think you've perfected it, record it onto a CD. Make sure the song suits your voice too."

The students got up to go to different areas of the room to practice.

"What song will I do..." Song Cue said to herself. "Hmm... I know. 'Time After Time'. I could give that to Comet as an apology present and it'll be a reminder I will always be there for him when he needs support."

 _She doesn't give up so easily,_ Lyra thought to herself. _'Time After Time' is one of Comet's favorite songs, and she's at the top of the class when it comes to singing... She can't give the CD to Comet if it's smashed to the floor._

As Song Cue practiced in a corner, she saw Rarity coming toward her.

"Rare, what's up?" Song Cue asked.

"Song Cue," she began, "about what happened with Comet yesterday..."

"I guess you've heard about it," Song Cue replied, not understanding what Rarity was about to say. "I know. I'm hoping to give Comet this song on the CD as my apology to him."

"Er, no, that wasn't what I meant to say," said Rarity.

"Is it his siblings again?" asked Song Cue. "I swear, whoever they are, those five are nothing but trouble."

"It's not them either," Rarity sighed. "When you were on your way to math period yesterday-"

"Rarity, Song Cue!" called the teacher. "You two have to practice your singing and don't distract each other."

"Sorry, miss," both girls said. The rest of class time was uneventful and everyone recorded their CDs with no troubles.

"Song Cue, can we hear your song played back?" asked Sugar Belle.

"That's a great idea, Sugar Belle," the teacher agreed. "Go for it, Song Cue."

Song Cue went up to put her song onto the CD player, but Lyra used her chair to trip her up, and the CD hit the floor, getting a big scratch.

"Oh no!" Song Cue gasped. "It won't work now."

"Lyra, I saw you!" snapped Double Diamond. "What did you do that for?"

"I... I was jealous," she said quickly. "Why should Song Cue get her song played when someone else could have..."

"You're going to Principal McCracken's office!" snapped the teacher.

"B-but..."

"Do you want me to give you extra homework?" asked the teacher.

"N-no..."

"Then get up there now!"

Lyra left the room, with Song Cue shaking her head sadly at the scratched CD.

"That's my second try at Comet's apology present ruined." She felt tears pricking her eyes now.

"Song Cue," said the teacher kindly. "How about you stay a bit longer to try recording it again?"

"Thank you, miss," Song Cue replied, cheering up a little. "I will."

* * *

When school was over, Rarity met up with the girls and Vincent and told them what happened.

"Lyra did that?" asked Twilight.

"Yes," confirmed Rarity. "Poor Song Cue had to record it again."

"Her tarts were burnt to a crisp because Electric set the timer on the oven too long," Applejack sighed. "Song Cue was planning on giving some to Comet as an apology gift."

"Why would two girls do this to her?" asked Vincent. "And what do they have against Comet?"

"I haven't the slightest clue," Rainbow shook her head in confusion. "Maybe they're in on Starlight and Trixie's jokes."

"I haven't seen them interact once," Twilight admitted. "So I don't think that's it."

"Twilight," asked Applejack, "how long have ya known Lyra exactly?"

"Since elementary school," Twilight admitted.

"Has she told you about her family?" asked Vincent.

"Well, she says she has three older brothers and an older sister, all of whom graduated from here," Twilight began. "A twin sister, obviously that means they're in the same year, and a younger brother who's in freshman year. Huh... not many families have this many siblings. And her mother died when she and her twin were freshmen..."

"And Comet's mother died when we were in middle school," continued Vincent. "That can't be a coincidence... can it?"

"How many siblings did Comet say he had?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Six, and he makes seven," Twilight told her. "So that means..."

"Lyra's Comet's sister!" all five of them said at the same time.

"I thought something was off about Lyra when I met her," Twilight said to her friends, "but I could never be sure what. We grew apart during middle school, and when she came to high school, we were near completely out of touch."

"What's happening, Twilight?" asked Moon Dancer. She was with Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine and Minuette. "What's the commotion?"

"Long story short, we've just found out one of Comet Tail's sisters, and we know her well," Twilight explained.

"Who is it?" asked Minuette.

"Lyra Heartstrings."

"Lyra!?" gasped Twinkleshine. "Y-you mean she's been neglecting Comet the whole time?"

"And none of us knew about it?" added Lemon Hearts.

"Why didn't she tell us she was Comet's sister?" asked Minuette.

"We're going to find out one way or another," said Moon Dancer.

"Where could Lyra be right now?" asked Applejack.

"There she is!" cried Rarity. "She and Electric are racing to the train station."

"Let's go!" cried Twilight, and she and her best friends from elementary school took off. "You guys try to find Song Cue and explain to her about this mix up."

"On it," said Rainbow Dash, and she, Applejack and Rarity went to find her. Lyra and Electric Sky bolted quicker toward the train.

"Come on, Electric!" Lyra encouraged. "We have to get there quickly so people don't figure out Comet's our brother."

"Too late for that, Lyra!" snapped Twilight. "We've figured out the math."

"Uh... hello ladies," Lyra said casually. "Uh... found good partners for the Formal?"

"All but me," said Moon Dancer.

"I'm going with Pharynx," Electric Sky put in quickly, "and Lyra wants to go with Feather Bangs."

"You really expect us to buy that crap?" asked Moon Dancer.

"Wait, so the rest of you _haven't_ found partners yet?" asked Lyra. The five friends face-palmed at Lyra's stupidity.

"We know what you've been doing!" Lemon said bluntly. "You and Electric have been ruining Song Cue's chances of making things right with your brother!"

"Daddy said Comet wasn't worth it," Electric replied.

"Sis..." muttered Lyra. "You weren't meant to tell them that!"

"You don't think your own brother is worthy of his sisters' love?!" snapped Twilight. "What did he ever do to you?"

"I told you, daddy said he wasn't worth our affection," Electric insisted.

"Sounds like your 'daddy' is as bad as you two," growled Moon Dancer.

"A good father would love all their kids equally," Lemon Hearts told the twins. "And good siblings would love all their siblings too. If neither of you can see it, I'm sorry to say we can no longer consider you our friends."

"What?!" Lyra shrieked. "Y-you can't do that. Moon Dancer, remember the good time we had at your 10th birthday? T-Twilight didn't go."

"Only because I was sick!" retorted Twilight.

"And if I knew how neglectful you were to poor Comet Tail, I wouldn't have invited you in the first place!" Moon growled.

"Get lost, both of you!" Twinkleshine bellowed, and the twins raced off, knowing they couldn't get the five of them back as friends if they tried.

"Let this be a lesson to us, ladies," sighed Twilight. "Some people aren't who they seem." At that moment, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Vincent came over.

"Did you manage to find Song Cue?" asked Minuette.

"No," sighed Rarity. "After finishing up her recording, Sunset reported that Posey picked her, Orange and Fluttershy up. Both her parents were called into work today."

"Bother," sighed Twilight. And there was no luck for the next few days either. Both twins had the flu for the rest of the week, and Fluttershy's family was away for the same time.

* * *

When the night of the Formal arrived, Song Cue and Comet Tail eventually managed to find each other (thanks to Thunderlane's quick thinking), and Comet laid out the truth to the person he loved since he heard her name.

"Lyra and Electric were being like that because they are two of my sisters," he sighed. "They didn't want me to be happy. They knew I didn't like Flitter in that way." Song Cue's eyes widened in shock.

"That explains so much," she said, giving him a hug. "And it must have been what the girls were trying to tell me."

"We were looking for you everywhere during breaks on Tuesday," sighed Rainbow, "but we couldn't find you."

"I was doing some studying," Song Cue explained.

"And then ya'll were sick for a while," Applejack sighed.

"Looks like this has been one big miscommunication," Song Cue realized.

"Ah guess we've all learned somethin'," said Applejack. "We should communicate better ta each other, and be on the lookout fer people like Lyra and Electric."

"And Comet," Song Cue said, "if any of your siblings are acting like big jerk know-it-alls, remember, my family's door is always open for you."

"Thanks, Songs," Comet smiled.

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 4, 2014**

"My goodness!" gasped Morning Roast. "I didn't realize Lyra and Electric were _this_ horrible."

"Neither did I until Twilight explained to me about what happened," Spike admitted.

"I hope those two get exactly what they deserve," said Morning Roast. "There's no rest for the wicked."

Spike chuckled at Morning Roast's remark. "Do you think they are part witches?"

"No," said Morning Roast. "Not even I would think that."

"Oh, sorry, Roast," he apologized.

"No need to apologize," she said. "It's fine." The two of them remained quiet the rest of the way back. Morning Roast was glad that the Young Six weren't the only friends she had on her side.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Rachel: When James suggested the Lyra flashback, I decided to have it take place before and a bit during the 2011 Fall Formal. Sort of an Author's Saving Throw from the "What an Idiot" moment in "Apple Scruffs".**

 **Rachel: When having Morning Roast chatting with friends at the beginning, I was debating on who to put. The Young Six came to my head because of the rough treatment they went through during** ** _School Daze_** **and** ** _School Raze_** **.**


	34. SOTC6 - Let It Down

Here's chapter six, named for a song written for _Let It Be_ , but didn't make the cut.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 6 - Let It Down (Harrison, 1970)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

The next couple of months were fairly uneventful at Canterlot High School. The 2014 Fall Formal came and went, as did Halloween, so now Thanksgiving was fast approaching.

"I can't wait for Thanksgiving dinner," said Lemon Hearts to her friends. "My sister older Lemony Gem said she was cooking some extra special food this year."

"Please don't mention food," groaned Twinkleshine.

"Twink, what's up?" asked Minuette.

"My stomach's hurting..."

"Oh dear," gasped Twilight. "Did you eat something weird last night?"

"No, it's not that," said Twinkleshine.

"Maybe someone else in the family got sick and it spread to you," Moon Dancer suggested. "That happened with Morning Roast and I once."

"No, no one in my family is sick," insisted Twinkleshine. "That morning, I woke up early and threw up. I just can't explain it..."

"That's weird," said Minuette, but Twilight was deep in thought.

"That happened to Cadance back in May..." she said quietly.

"Poor Cad... wait, that happened shortly after Cadence fell pregnant, did it?" asked Lemon. Twilight nodded. Moon Dancer, Minuette, and Lemon Hearts then shook their heads.

"That'd be too crazy," Minuette concluded. "Twinkleshine wouldn't have... done that with anyone. There's gotta be some other explanation."

Twinkleshine then had a look of guilt on her face.

"Actually... er... Twilight may be on point."

"What do you mean?" asked Lemon.

"Do you want to know why I wasn't at that Halloween party at Minuette's house?"

"Er, sure I guess." Said Minuette. "What came up, Twink?"

Twinkleshine took a deep breath, and this was the story she told.

* * *

 **OCTOBER 27, 2014**

That Monday evening, Twinkleshine was out with her parents, her older sister Diamond Rose and Diamond Rose's husband Spearhead down at Sugarcube Corner. The latter two also had their daughter, Petal Heart, who was about four years old and were visiting from Clydesdale for a while.

"Good to see you, auntie Twinkle!" smiled Petal Heart, giving her a hug. "Daddy said he saw some of your friends while they were on tour in Clydesdale."

"I heard about how the Flim Flam brothers tried stealing from them," said Twinkleshine. "Why'd they try doing that, anyway?"

"Their cider production went out of business," Diamond Rose sighed, "and they resorted to other methods of getting money."

"That's not good," Twinkleshine sighed. Just then, the family noticed Brawly Beats nearby, not very happy. Twinkleshine got up from her seat and walked over.

"Hey, Brawly Beats, what's up?" she asked.

"Oh... Flash and Ringo were just telling me how they were going at college, and they've done well," Brawly explained.

"How have you been doing since you got kicked out?" asked Twinkleshine.

"Not too good," he sighed. "My parents understand that I didn't know that Cranky was allergic to fish, but I've just been struggling to find something worthwhile."

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" asked Twinkleshine.

"I don't know," sighed Brawly Beats. "Is there anything that an expelled student from high school could do to get back on their feet?"

"What about band gigs?" asked Twinkleshine. "You seem good at that."

"I guess I could try when Flash and Ringo aren't busy at college," Brawly nodded thoughtfully.

"I'd love to see what you come up with," Twinkleshine gave Brawly Beats a hug.

"What's going on here?" asked Pumpkin Cake. She and Pound were about four years old by now too, and would be in elementary school the following year.

"I'm going to do a gig with my band," Brawly explained.

"Wow, that's cool!" said Pound. "I wish I had a band too."

"You're a bit too little to have one right now, kiddo," chuckled Brawly.

"But we can pretend to be one!" smiled Pumpkin. "Hey, Petal Heart, want to join us?"

"I don't see why not," smiled Diamond Rose. "You can play with the twins, Petal Heart."

"I'll be a drummer," said Pound.

"And I'll be the bass player," said Petal Heart.

"And I'll sing," smiled Pumpkin.

The trio pretended to play instruments and sang a song from a show which the twins "Auntie Pinkie Pie" showed them which helped them learn their counting skills.

" _In an ordinary sofa, in an ordinary room  
Are extraordinary heroes who are standing by to zoom  
To where ever they are needed, they're speeding out today  
The Numberjacks are on their way_

 _They will help you with your problems, they are waiting for your call  
No problem is too big for them, no problem is too small  
Things will be going wrong  
But you can bet it's not for long  
The Numberjacks are on their way  
The Numberjacks are on their way..._"

"They're so cute," sighed Twinkleshine. "I think I'd like to become a mother in a couple of years."

"They are quite sweet," Mrs. Cake agreed; she had walked over. "So what's this I overheard about a gig?"

"Twinkleshine suggested it to me, Mrs. Cake," Brawly told her. "But I don't know where to play it at."

"I wouldn't mind if it happened here," Mrs. Cake said.

"Thanks, Mrs. Cake," Brawly replied. "I'll let Flash and Ringo know about it."

* * *

Later, Brawly Beats met up with his two friends.

"Sure, we could do that," smiled Flash. "Not a problem."

"Sounds totally cool, bro," said Ringo.

"Awesome," said Brawly Beats. "Also, I'd like to do a song specially for Twinkleshine, since she came up with the idea."

"Any ideas for what it is?" asked Flash.

"I'll see if I can find one." Eventually, Brawly beats came up with a song that he had titled "A Twinkle of Hope".

"Sounds good," said Flash. "Come on, let's work on it."

* * *

When it was time for the evening gig that Halloween, everyone who went to Sugarcube Corner that day sat down to watch the performance.

"Good day, everyone," Flash announced to the crowd. "Now, this is a little unusual, but my friend and fellow band-mate Brawly Beats recommended we do a gig here."

"And, I was recommended to do this by someone very special to me, Twinkleshine," Brawly announced. "She's always been there for me when we met in high school, and when I... got expelled for a prank that went very wrong, she never left my side."

Most of the crowd were touched by this speech, some of them going into "aww's". Twinkleshine blushed bright red.

"Alright, guys, we're going to start with a song that fits the tone for this spooky day," said Flash. "Ready?"

They launched into a cover of "Monster Mash", which pretty much got everyone out of their seat and start dancing.

"They're right," Pumpkin grinned. "This song does fit Halloween."

"Have you decided what you're going to be when going out trick or treating?" asked Twinkleshine.

"A pumpkin this year," she giggled. "Fitting, right?"

"I'm going as a bat," said Pound Cake.

"You mean a baseball bat?" joked his sister.

"No!" he cried. "The animal!"

"I'm glad I wasn't born a twin," chuckled Petal Heart to her aunt. "Too much teasing."

A few more songs had played, including the likes of "This is Halloween" from the movie _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Finally, the last song of the gig came.

"This last song is for Twinkleshine," Brawly said into the microphone. "I call it 'A Twinkle of Hope'."

The song started to play, and Twinkleshine realized the song was about when Brawly Beats was at his low point when he was expelled from school, and she was there to support him and get him back on his feet. Twinkleshine smiled and had tears of joy running down her eyes.

"He is a sweetie if you get to know him right," she said to no one in particular. After the heartfelt performance, Twinkleshine rushed up to give her boyfriend a hug.

"That's beautiful, Brawly Beats!" she gushed.

"Glad you liked it, Twinkle," he replied, blushing.

* * *

 **NOVEMBER 12, 2014**

"That was very sweet with you and Brawly," Minuette interrupted, "but what about your situation?"

"That I was about to get to," said Twinkleshine.

* * *

 **OCTOBER 31, 2014**

"So, Twinkle," said Brawly, "are you free to hang out for the afternoon?"

"I don't think I've got anything on my schedule," she replied. "Sure."

"I think I've got a movie we can watch at home," Brawly told her. "You ever seen _Spooky Buddies_?"

"Oh, it's one of those movies with Air Bud's puppies!" she realized. "I haven't seen that yet."

The two of them went home to watch the movie. There were some cute bits like with the puppies in their Halloween costumes.

"Aww, Rosebud dresses like a princess, of course she does," Twinkleshine giggled.

"And B-Dawg had to be a bunny," chuckled Brawly. "Poor him."

"He still looks cute though," said Twinkleshine.

"If only he saw that too," giggled Twinkleshine, cuddling up to Brawly on the couch. There were also some scary bits of the movie too, like with Warwick the Warlock and the Halloween Hound stealing souls of Pip's four siblings.

"Those poor things..." whimpered Twinkleshine.

"Those bad guys will get what's coming. Don't worry," assured Brawly Beats.

"Oh, I hope so..."

And they did. The warlock's staff was destroyed and he could no longer harm anyone, the Halloween hound was turned to stone, while Pip and his siblings were restored to normal and returned to their long lost owners.

Despite the happy ending, Twinkleshine felt a bit shaken up from the movie.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep at home tonight," she sighed. "Can I sleep with you?"

Twinkleshine blushed. "I... I'd like that, thanks Brawly Beats."

* * *

 **NOVEMBER 12, 2014**

"Yeah, I think we can guess what happened next," sighed Lemon Hearts.

"Agreed," said Moon Dancer. "I don't even want to hear how it went."

"Right, I'll spare you the 'hot' details," Twinkleshine agreed. "Skipping ahead to morning, our parents weren't impressed and I hadn't seen Brawly since that day."

"What do you think he's doing right now?" asked Twilight.

"Well, I heard from Ringo down at Sugarcube Corner that he's still doing music with him and Flash," Twinkleshine explained.

"How do you think he'll react when he hears this?" asked Minuette.

"I don't know," said Twinkleshine. "I'm not even eighteen and he's almost in his twenties."

"I think you should tell him the truth," said Twilight. "I'm sure he'd want to be there for the baby."

"Alright," Twinkleshine said bravely. "I'll see if I can visit him later today."

* * *

After school, Twinkleshine went to Brawly Beats' house.

"Hey, Twink, good to see you," he smiled. But then he saw she was a bit quieter than usual.

"Erm... could I... come inside?" she asked nervously.

"Of course." Brawly Beats allowed her in, and noticed she was very nervous. "Did someone say something rude to you at school?"

"No, it's not that at all..."

"Twinkleshine, what is it? You can tell me anything!" Brawly Beats sounded anxious. What was his girlfriend opting to tell him?

"Brawly Beats, I'm... I'm... I'm pregnant!"

Brawly didn't answer; he just stared in shock, hoping this was some kind of cruel prank.

"I tested positive; we're going to be young parents!"

It wasn't.

Brawly shrieked with horror, and then he fainted.

"What's going on?" This came from Brawly Beats' mother. "Twinkleshine... you're expecting Brawly Beats' child?"

"Yes, Mrs. Beats," she said, almost on the verge of tears.

Mrs. Beats sighed heavily. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't see this coming."

"I'm very sorry about this, ma'am..."

"I know," said Mrs. Beats. She placed a hand on the senior student's shoulder.

"What are we going to when the baby is born?" asked Twinkleshine.

"We'll figure out something," Mrs. Beats assured her.

* * *

A bit later, after he'd woken up, Brawly Beats met up with Flash, Soarin, Ringo and Rainbow Dash.

"What's on your mind, buddy?" asked Soarin.

"Guys... uh..." he began, "I spent a night with Twinkleshine and... I just found out I'm going to be a father."

"Y-you got Twinkleshine pregnant while she's still in school?!" cried Soarin.

"I didn't mean it!" protested Brawly. "It was an accident!"

"Do you have any ideas in what to do when the baby comes?" asked Rainbow.

"Well... no?"

"You are so dense sometimes," sighed Rainbow Dash, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Oh, and I don't suppose you have any ideas!" retorted Brawly.

"Hey, calm down there, man," said Flash. "I know this is all too sudden, but try not to worry, pal. We're here to support you all the way."

"Indeed we are," said Ringo. "Don't worry, buddy."

"Maybe you could see Song Cue and Comet," Flash suggested. "They're looking after a baby who is orphaned at the moment."

"Good idea," Brawly nodded. "I'll suggest it to Twink."

* * *

When Twinkleshine got word of the idea, she agreed and they went to the Cues' house. They got a bit of a surprise getting inside; not only were Song Cue, Comet Tail and the former's family there, but Saffron and Coriander were as well.

"What is this, Everyone Visits Mystic Light Day?" joked Song Cue.

"We were hoping to get some tips on raising babies," Twinkleshine explained.

"Did you guys find an orphaned baby as well?" asked Comet, walking over. Mystic Light, who was in his arms, looked very curiously at Twinkleshine when he got close.

"Er, no," said Brawly Beats sheepishly. "I... sort of knocked her up."

"Oh..." Song Cue said quietly. "That may explain Mystic Light's sudden interest in you, Twinkle."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, we had Cadance come by a while ago," Song Cue explained, "and Mystic Light didn't pay attention to her unborn child, so I got the impression it's a girl."

"You think I'm having a boy?" asked Twinkleshine to Mystic Light.

Mystic Light just gave a squeak in reply.

"I'll take that as a yes," chuckled Comet, giving the baby a kiss on her forehead.

"So, do you guys have any tips on looking after babies?" asked Brawly.

"Well, they do take up a lot of time," Song Cue explained. "And I'm lucky my parents and siblings are willing to step in to help us."

"I guess we can get our parents to help too," Twinkleshine admitted. "Once our little one is born."

"Do you guys want to come here to practice working with Mystic Light?" asked Comet.

"Sure," said Brawly Beats. So he and Twinkleshine often met up at Song Cue's house to help tend to little Mystic.

"I guess being a parent isn't so bad," Twinkleshine admitted. "I think we can do this, Brawly Beats."

"I think we can make this work," Brawly agreed and hugged her. "We'll do everything possible to be there for our little one."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Lemony Gem and Diamond Rose are Cadance's two friends from high school in the comic,** ** _Neigh Anything_** **.**

 **It wasn't mentioned anywhere, but Spearhead was the friend of Shooting Star mentioned in "Love Comes to Everyone" that almost commited suicide but recovered and started his own family.**


	35. SOTC7 - One

Here we are with the midpoint of the series! I can't believe we've made it this far into the series, but it wouldn't have been possible without you and your continued loyalty to this series.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 7 - One (Starr, 1998)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **FEBRUARY 5, 2015**

Everyone hurried to the train station, and Twilight was in particularly high spirits.

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this will be the best day ever!"

"What's the best day ever?" asked Vincent.

"Cadance is coming to visit the school," Twilight explained. "Not only is she the best sister-in-law ever, she was once the best babysitter in the history of babysitters."

"You sure it's a good idea for her to be visiting?" asked Vincent. "What if something goes wrong?"

"What could possibly go wrong, Vince?" asked Song Cue. "There's not a cloud in the sky."

"Aaagh! ...but there's ice on the ground," Vincent groaned. Heartsong, Twilight and Song Cue quickly helped Vincent up.

"Good for ice-skating, not so good for standing on," Heartsong sighed.

"No kidding," sighed Vincent.

"I hope no one breaks their leg while slipping on ice," said Comet. Just then, everyone heard the sound of a toot ringing through the air.

"That'd be us," said Orange.

"At least it'll be warmer inside," said Vincent. Everyone jumped into the carriage.

"The day's just been freezing," said Pinkie Pie. "It made Limestone crankier than usual."

"Then again, when _isn't_ she a grump?" asked Lemon Hearts.

"She has her moments when she's sweet," Pinkie admitted. "But I didn't tell you that," she added in a whisper.

"I hope it doesn't end up snowing inside," Minuette joked.

"It shouldn't," said Vincent, a bit more bluntly than intended. "I hate cold weather."

"That's what happens when you live in northern Jefferson," said Twilight.

"Hmph."

"I think snow is magical," smiled Fluttershy. "It can bring out the good in people."

"I have to agree with you, cous," said Song Cue. "Just like when Donald and Douglas proved themselves and were allowed to stay on Sodor."

* * *

Later, at school, Twilight saw Cadance at the entrance.

"Cadance!" she smiled, hugging her.

"How's my favorite sister-in-law?" asked Cadance.

"I'm your only sister-in-law," Twilight giggled.

"And pretty soon, you'll be an aunt," Cadance added. "You excited to meet your niece or nephew?"

"Oh, I sure am!" said Twilight. "When's the baby coming?"

"Should be any day now, Twilight," Cadance replied.

"What brings you down to Canterlot High today, Cadance?" asked Heartsong.

"I'm helping Celestia and Luna figure out ideas for the Valentines' Day Formal," Cadance explained. "It's coming up soon, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it's on a Saturday," said Heartsong.

"Do you have someone to ask to the Formal?" asked Cadance.

"W-well... there's one guy I met in middle school," Heartsong stammered. "We had a good dance at the Fall Formal."

"Sometimes love can come up when you meet as kids," chuckled Cadance. "I know that happened with me and Shining."

"I guess it's pretty common around here," Heartsong admitted. "Vincent and Sunset are another example. And Soarin and Rainbow."

Zephyr had overheard the last comment.

"What does Rainbow see in Soarin anyway?" snapped Zephyr.

"At least he doesn't embarrass others when making comments about Rainbow's rear," said Fluttershy firmly.

"Thank StarClan I wasn't there to witness that," Song Cue sighed.

"You two are still sour over that?" Zephyr retorted. "I said I was sorry."

"Only whilst Dashie screamed in your face," said Fluttershy.

"You sounded worse than Blossomforth when she was pinning after Vincent," Heartsong put in.

"You don't get it, do you?!" snapped Zephyr. "I had my reasons, alright?!" Zephyr raced off, angry at his cousins and sister.

"Oh dear," sighed Cadance.

"Rejection does hurt," Fluttershy admitted. "I know how it feels."

"You handled it pretty well though," Song Cue told her, giving her cousin a hug. "You and Big Mac are still good friends, and you're friends with Sugar Belle too."

"Thanks." Just then, you guessed it, the bell rang.

"Oh my, we're going to be late!" cried Twilight.

"What is it with bells interrupting conversations?" asked Heartsong, rushing off to class.

"Well, we did kind of lose track of time," said Sweetie Belle.

"Good point," said Heartsong. "You have music now, right?"

"Yep. And by the looks of things, so do you!" Sweetie Belle and Heartsong made it just in time for roll call. Among their class were Song Cue, Comet Tail, Chip Mint, Pipsqueak and Fluttershy.

"I know Cadance coming is a good surprise," said the teacher, "but I recommend you be a bit quicker next time."

"Sorry, ma'am," said Heartsong.

"That's alright," the teacher then went on. "I want you all to sing in pairs today. We're doing a little singing contest. The best pairs of each class will sing at the Valentines' Day Formal."

"That'll be so romantic," Sweetie Belle gushed.

"D-do you want to be my partner?" asked Pipsqueak shyly.

"Yes!" Sweetie Belle said quickly, grabbing his hand, then blushed bright red.

"Can you imagine what Rarity would say if she saw this?" asked Fluttershy to Song Cue.

"I think she'd be in 'shipper on deck' mode," giggled Song Cue.

Heartsong and Chip Mint had chosen each other as partners, Song Cue and Comet chose each other, naturally, and Fluttershy was asked by boy named Silver Shill to be her partner.

"Sure," she had said. "It's better than nothing." The day might have been going well so far, but it was the calm before the storm - both literally and figuratively.

When it came time to present their songs, Song Cue and Comet Tail had gone first with "Time After Time".

"Song Cue gave that song to me when we were freshmen," Comet had said. "Despite some, er... shall we say, attempts at sabotage."

The older students and Heartsong nodded in understanding, but Sweetie Belle looked confused.

"We'll tell you later," whispered Heartsong.

Sweetie Belle and Pipsqueak went next with "Eternity", a song from the soundtrack of the movie _The Swan Princess_.

"Aww, this song is breathtaking," Song Cue whispered.

"I love watching that movie," said Comet.

Heartsong and Chip Mint sang "I Love You, Always Forever", a song which Heartsong had practiced countless times with Song Cue at home.

* * *

Meanwhile, unknown to the students, Celestia and Luna were with Cadance organizing things in the teachers' lounge.

"Who do you think will sing at the Valentines' Day Formal?" asked Cadance.

"Well, Sprinkle Melody says that Song Cue, Sweetie Belle or Heartsong along with their partners have a strong chance," Luna said. "Song Cue's been at the top of the singing class since she was a freshman, Heartsong shares her sister's voice, and Sweetie Belle is said to have a singing talent too."

"Something tells me that Sweetie Belle's rather shy about singing in public," said Celestia.

"I think that Pipsqueak could break her out of her shell a bit," said Cadance. "She really likes him."

Just then, Celestia saw some snow falling.

"The weather's bound to get worse," she said worriedly.

"I'm sure a few snowflakes won't hurt anyone, sister," Luna assured. "The students would just want to play outside when breaks come."

* * *

And indeed Luna was right. Everyone rushed outside to play in the snow.

"Snowball fight!" cried Orange, tossing one on his twin sister.

"Great, more cold weather," grumbled Vincent. "Why can't we go somewhere where it doesn't snow?"

"Oh, lighten up, Vincent," Song Cue replied. "This is fun!" She threw a snowball at Scootaloo.

"Pah," muttered Vincent.

"I'll get you, First Base!" Scootaloo called, but she hit Rumble by mistake.

"Hey!"

"Oops. Sorry about that, Rumble."

"Payback time," he chuckled, and threw a snowball back at Scootaloo.

In the mist of the snowball fight, Heartsong noticed the snow was starting to gradually fall faster and faster.

"Guys, the weather's getting worse," Heartsong announced.

"Bless my butterflies," cried Fluttershy. "You're right, cous."

"I hope that doesn't mean classes will be cancelled," said Orange.

"At least I'll be warm," said Vincent.

"It could mean we'd be trapped at the school," Song Cue pointed out. "We'd better tell any students we can find to get back inside, right now."

The group split up and found as many students to get back inside as possible. Around the same time, the teachers were looking around for students too.

"This blasted weather's getting worse by the minute!" cried Octavia. "I can barely see beyond my feet!"

"It is looking very bad, aunt Octavia," sighed Silver Spoon. "I hope everyone will get back inside safely."

"Phew!" sighed Celestia. "That's every student present and accounted for. We'll tell your parents that the blizzard has blocked the way out of the school."

"Some of us already have parents that do know," said Solar Crystal.

"Or aunts and/or uncles, in my case," said Silver Spoon.

"And in some cases, it's both," said Nyx.

Celestia was sending out a text message to the parents' phones, when everyone heard a loud cry. She nearly dropped her phone in shock when she realized who that was.

"Cadance!" she cried.

"The baby must be coming," Twilight realized. "We have to an ambulance here, now!"

"In this weather?" asked Vincent. "There's no chance! They might get into trouble on the way here!"

"But if there's no way an ambulance can get here, what should we do?" asked Orange. Heartsong was quiet for a moment, then an idea struck her.

"The school nurses could help," she suggested.

"That's a great idea, sis!" cried Song Cue.

"The nurse's office is that way," said Fluttershy. "Twilight, Song Cue, Heartsong, Orange, let's get Cadance there."

"On it," said Twilight. The small group started to lead Cadance there, who was groaning with pain every step.

"It's alright, Cadance," said Twilight. "Just focus on breathing."

"It really hurts!" she panted. "Why'd it have to be now, of all times?!"

"The nurses will know what to do," Heartsong assured. They soon reached the nurse's office.

"Cadance has gone into labor!" cried Heartsong. "Does anyone here know what to do?"

"I used to work in a hospital before changing jobs," said one of the nurses. "I had to deliver a few babies."

"That's good," said Orange. "You'll be a big help." The nurses told Orange, Song Cue, Heartsong, Fluttershy and Twilight to leave the room.

"I'll call Shining Armor," Twilight said to her friends. Thankfully, he was on break.

" _Hey, Twily,_ " he said. " _Dad just got a message that you're snowed in. Are you alright?_ "

"Yeah, I'm okay," said Twilight. "But Cadance... well, she went into labor. She's about to have her baby!"

" _What?!_ " Shining cried. " _Is there an ambulance nearby?_ "

"She's in the nurse's office," Twilight explained. "One of them used to be at a hospital before transferring to the school." Shining breathed a sigh of relief.

" _I'll be down there as soon as I can,_ " he told his sister.

"Alright BBBFF," said Twilight. "Hopefully the weather clears up soon and you'll be able to see your son or daughter."

" _I hope so too, Twily. Love you._ " The call cut off.

"I think you may have a niece, Twilight," Song Cue said. "That was Mystic Light's prediction, at least."

"How'd she know?" asked Twilight.

"It's a myth we heard about," said Heartsong. "If a baby or toddler pays attention to an unborn child, it's the opposite gender. If they leave it alone, it's the same. And Mystic Light didn't pay attention to Cadance's child."

"I'm going to have to remember that one," said Twilight. "That's pretty interesting. How is Mystic Light anyway?"

"She's doing great," said Song Cue. "She's learning to crawl on all fours."

Twilight giggled. "Crawling already? She must be a real handful now."

"She is a bit," Song Cue admitted. "She found one of our old children's books, one I had based on the TV show, _Numberjacks_. While she can't read, she likes the pictures."

"It'll help her with her counting as she gets older, as well as some other basic math skills." Heartsong went on.

"I'm glad to hear," smiled Twilight. After some considerable time, one of the nurses came out.

"It's a girl!" she announced.

"Shining Armor and Cadance are parents, I'm an aunt!" cried Twilight. But then she remembered. "Oh, Shining's not here to see his new daughter."

"Who says I'm not here?" came a familiar voice. Orange and the girls turned to face Shining Armor.

"Shining!" Twilight gave her brother a hug. "You made it."

"But how?" asked Heartsong. "The weather's horrible."

"I couldn't let that stop me from being with my wife and child now could I?" Shining replied. "And did I hear that my child is a girl?"

"You did," said Twilight. "Looks like Mystic Light was right."

"Mystic Light? How'd she..."

"Long story, Shining Armor," chuckled Song Cue.

"You can come in to see your wife and child," said the nurse.

* * *

Cadance was resting on a chair and the little baby was in a blanket in her arms.

"Hello, my love," said Shining. He leaned over to kiss Cadance on the lips.

"Shining," Cadance said quietly, "it's so good to see you."

The baby daughter cooed up at Shining, as if saying "is this my papa?"

"Hello, little one," said Shining, stroking his newborn daughter's head. She giggled in reply and tried to grab Shining's hand.

"Hey there, little one," smiled Twilight. "I'm your father's sister, your auntie." She covered her eyes. "Where's your auntie Twilight?" she uncovered them again. "Peek-a-boo." The baby just waved up at Twilight in excitement.

"Are you going to give this baby a name, or are we going to keep calling her 'the baby'?" asked Heartsong.

"Well, given the events that happened today," said Cadance, "there was a flurry outside which stopped any ambulances coming up here, and you, Heartsong, managed to save the day. So... Shining, I think we should we should call our baby Flurry Heart."

"You're... naming her after me?" gasped Heartsong quietly. "I'd be honored!"

"Just don't let that get to your head," chuckled Song Cue.

"I won't, sis," she giggled. "Flurry Heart is adorable, by the way." Shining then decided to take his wife and new daughter home.

"I've got the old booster seat we used for Twilight when she was little," he explained.

" _Attention, all students,_ " called Celestia. " _Due to this freak storm, everyone is to go home early. All your parents have been made aware of the change._ "

"Oh," Shining said just after he heard the announcement. "Want me to drive you home, Twilight?"

"Sure," said Twilight. "It'd be nice to know little Flurry a bit more." Flurry tried to reach out for her aunt again.

"I think she wants you to hold her, Twilight," chuckled Cadence. So Twilight did.

"We're going to be the best aunt and niece duo you've ever seen, Flurry," Twilight said, tickling her hand. "You wait and see." The baby squealed in reply.

"Speaking of babies, Orange, Heartsong, we'd better find Comet and get back to Mystic Light," said Song Cue.

"Good point," agreed Heartsong. "Who knows what little Mystic Light's been doing at home with mom?"

* * *

At home, the quartet found out.

"Oh dear, Mystic, don't try and climb down the stairs on your own," Sweet Song said, picking her up and walking down. Mystic Light whined with protest as Sweet Song picked her up.

"It's alright, sweetie," she said. "Look, Comet, Song Cue, Orange and Heartsong are back from school."

"What did she get up to, mom?" asked Song Cue.

"Getting into everything," Sweet Song replied. "Boxes of toys, bookcases, the staircase, you name it. I was on my toes all day."

"She's definitely reached her 'adventurous' side," Comet chuckled. "You were just trying to see what big kids do, weren't you?" he added in baby talk. Mystic Light giggled.

"Come on, why don't I show you those pictures in that book again?" said Song Cue as her mom handed her Mystic. The baby gave eager nods as Song Cue sat down with her on the couch and got the _Numberjacks_ book.

"Okay, Mystic, which picture do you want to look at?"

Song Cue flipped a few pages before Mystic pointed at one.

"Yes, I love it when Three gets to go out too."

"We should introduce Mystic Light to Flurry Heart someday," said Heartsong, and she quickly explained to her mom about the day's events.

"Well done, my daughter," praised Sweet Song, giving Heartsong a hug. "And congratulations to Shining and Cadance. I think introducing the babies to each other would be an adorable idea."

"We'll let Cadance and Shining know as soon as we can," said Comet.

But what was important for now was giving little Mystic Light all the attention she needed, which was becoming increasingly difficult for the young couple...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Silver Spoon's father is Hoity Toity, who is one of Octavia's siblings. Her mother is Photo Finish.**


	36. SOTC8 - So Sad

As the volume continues, we begin a new arc featuring Zephyr Breeze and Coco Pommel as central characters.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 8 - So Sad (Harrison, 1974)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

"You guys took me in without second thought?" asked Mystic Light to Song Cue and Comet Tail.

"We wanted to give you the love that I didn't from Top Marks as a child," Comet explained.

"You sure did," Mystic smiled. "And I couldn't be more grateful for that." Just then, Song Cue's phone rang.

" _Hey there, Songs,_ " said a voice.

"Zephyr," she greeted. "How are you? I'm just with Comet, Mystic and the kids at the Sentries."

" _Doing alright, cous,_ " Zephyr replied.

"We were just telling Mystic and the kids about how Comet and I raised the former," Song Cue explained.

" _I remember all of that,_ " said Zephyr, " _but where do I come into all of this?_ "

"Well, around that time, you managed to find a certain young girl from Manhattan," Song Cue pointed out.

" _Sweet Coco Pommel,_ " said Zephyr. " _I remember now._ "

"Is Coco with the kids at home too?" asked Song Cue.

" _Yes,_ " Zephyr replied. " _We'll swing over and tell the kids about how Coco and I found each other._ "

"Not the prettiest of stories, if I'm honest," Vincent muttered to himself.

"There were a few pitfalls, I'll admit," Song Cue replied.

"What kind of pitfalls, mom?" asked Venus.

"And why isn't the story pretty, dad?" asked Dawn.

"Well..." said Vincent. "Coco kind of had a thing for me, even when I was with Sunset."

"You and Coco?" gasped Mars. "Did she act like Blossomforth?"

"Fortunately, no," said Vincent.

"She acted more like Fluttershy around Big Macintosh when she had a crush on him," Song Cue told them. After a few more minutes, the group heard the doorbell.

"I've got it," said Twilight, and she opened up to see Zephyr, Coco and their kids, a son named Dancing Breeze and daughter named Blueberry Blur.

"Twilight, good to see you!" Coco gave Twilight a friendly hug.

"Hi there, Coco," said Twilight.

"Hey there, Twilight," said Dancing Breeze. He was sixteen years old and had Coco's lighter blue hair but Zephyr's pink eyes.

"Good to see you, Twilight," smiled Blueberry Blur. She was fourteen years old and had Zephyr's blonde hair but with Coco's darker blue streaks and Coco's blue eyes.

"You guys too. Come on, the others are in the family room." Twilight led everyone down.

"Dancing Breeze and Blueberry Blur are here!" cried Typewriter, rushing to them.

"Hey cousins!" said Mars, giving them a high-five.

"Hey guys," smiled Venus and Sugar Berry, hugging them.

"Good to see you guys too," Blueberry smiled. "What's been going on in here?"

"Well, we learned that Mystic Light here was raised by our parents when they were in high school," Venus explained.

"Then Twilight told us a bit about Morning Roast and Moon Dancer," Mars went on, "and about Twinkleshine realizing she was going to become a young mother, oh, and Twilight told us about how she became an aunt to Flurry Heart."

"Wow, really?" gasped Dancing Breeze. "That's a lot of information to take in at once."

"And apparently," said Dawn, "your mom liked my dad in high school." Coco blushed when she heard that.

"Uh... yes, that's true," she admitted. "Vincent was just a really sweet guy and, I couldn't help myself."

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 2012**

Coco Pommel was a freshman in Canterlot High School, an exchange student from Manhattan. Though she was shy, she did make good friends with Rarity, who was a senior at the time, when they discovered a love of fashion. She also managed to connect well with the likes of Fluttershy, who was a sophomore during this time, and Marble Pie, Pinkie Pie's twin sister, both of whom shared Coco's shy-like traits.

It was getting close to the Fall Formal once again, and Coco was chatting to Rarity, Fluttershy, Marble, Pinkie and Saffron on the matter.

"Who do you think you're going to go with, Rarity?" asked Fluttershy.

"Well, Math Equation and I have been friends for a while, especially during the past year," Rarity told Fluttershy. "And so, we decided to go together."

"Oh, that's very nice to hear," said Fluttershy.

"Cheese Sandwich asked me if I wanted to go with him," Pinkie Pie said. "And while he is cute, I can see he likes Skystar more. I'll see if I can get them to go instead."

"Where does that leave you, Marble?" asked Saffron.

"Pistachio..." she said in her meek tone.

"Oh, the son of Cinnamon Nut and Butter Nut," Rarity realized. "Yes, I know him."

"Doughnut Joe's asked me to go," Saffron went on.

"Aww, two chefs in love," gushed Coco. "How cute."

"That just leaves you, Coco," said Rarity.

"Well... there is a cute guy I set my sights on," she admitted.

"Oh? Who is it?" asked Saffron.

"Noteworthy..." she giggled bashfully. Noteworthy was a senior student at Canterlot High with moderate gamboge eyes and moderate cobalt blue hair. He was one of the top music students at the school, and one of few who could rival Song Cue in her singing abilities.

"I've seen him around a few times during my time here," said Rarity, "but we never became close. He seems nice enough."

"He thought I was very cute," giggled Coco, blushing.

"Aww! How sweet," smiled Fluttershy.

"Hey Fluttershy, do you have anyone you're going with this time?" asked Pinkie.

"Stormwalker, Thunderlane's younger cousin, asked me to go with him as a friend," Fluttershy explained.

The girls carried on with their lunch content. It seemed like things were set. And it only got better when Coco was on her way home from school.

"Hey, C-Coco..." Noteworthy looked at her shyly. "W-will you go with me to the Formal?"

Coco felt an overwhelming amount of joy rush through her. "I will!" she smiled, giving Noteworthy a hug.

"I'll see you then, Coco," said Noteworthy, and Coco practically skipped all the way to the train.

* * *

But a few days just before the Formal, Coco was in for a massive shock. Comet's older sister Lyra, who was in her senior year too, was playing her harp, and Noteworthy seemed captivated by her.

"Wow..." gasped Noteworthy. "That's beautiful, Lyra. Er... do you have a date for the Formal?"

"No, I'm open," said Lyra. "Do you have anyone else you're going with?"

"I was going to go with Coco, but... I think you're a much better fit," he replied. Coco felt her heart shatter the moment she heard what Noteworthy had said.

"W-what have I done wrong?" she sobbed, racing away from the scene. While in her haste, she accidentally bumped into Vincent.

"Oh... s-sorry..." she said through her tears.

"Coco?" asked Vincent. "What's wrong?" Coco sadly explained about how Noteworthy turned her down for Lyra. Vincent was shocked that Noteworthy could be so heartless like that.

"D-did I do something wrong?" Coco asked.

"No, you haven't!" exclaimed Vincent. "But the next time I see Noteworthy, I swear I might shove my fist into his jaw!"

"Now I don't know what to do for the Formal..." Coco sighed. Vincent's expression softened upon seeing Coco's sad face.

"I'm sorry for getting upset," he said gently, "but what Noteworthy did was very rude." Coco gave a shy nod and wiped tears away.

"Yes, I agree. W-we'd better get to class before the bell."

 _I wish I could help out Coco_... Vincent thought to himself.

* * *

The next day, however, Celestia had bad news for Vincent.

"Sunset has the flu, and may not be better in time for the Formal," Celestia sighed.

"Bother," groaned Vincent. "What am I going to do now?"

"I do apologize," Celestia said quietly.

* * *

Soon it was the day right before the Formal, and Coco hadn't found anyone else and Sunset was still sick. At break time, Coco was resting on a bench, ready to give up on going to the Fall Formal, just as Vincent came up.

"Um... Vincent?"

"Hey, Coco," said Vincent. "Any luck with finding someone?"

"No," she said sadly. "Maybe I'm not meant to be with anyone at all..." Poor Coco began to cry again. Vincent didn't like seeing people cry, especially not someone as sensitive as Coco. He pulled her in for a comforting hug, which she accepted.

"Is Sunset well enough to go to the Formal?" asked Coco, trying to distract herself.

"No, she's still sick in bed," said Vincent. "She called me to say that she was okay with me going with someone else as a friend."

"Do you need help finding someone?" Coco went on.

"I suppose I do," said Vincent.

"I guess we're in the same boat," sighed Coco. Vincent was quiet for a moment. The way he and Coco got into the situation was very different, but the outcome was the same; neither he or Coco had dates for the Formal. And Coco was a very nice girl too...

"Coco," said Vincent at last, "will you go with me to the Fall Formal?"

Coco felt tears of happiness prick her eyes. She started to hug Vincent tightly. "Thank you, Vincent..." she said softly. "You've made me the happiest girl in the world."

"You're welcome," said Vincent quietly.

* * *

When the Fall Formal rolled around, Coco and Vincent were enjoying themselves, and they saw that Flash, Song Cue, Comet Tail and Flitter were having a much better time than last year.

"Looks like Orange Sherbet got the same idea you did, Vincent," Coco said. "He's asked Flitter to the Formal as a friend."

"That's good," said Vincent. "I'm glad Flash got to go with Twilight this year." Then he remembered. "Is Math okay?" Coco then gestured toward Math and Rarity having a good conversation together.

"Does that answer your question?"

"Well, I guess it does," Vincent chuckled. "Good for him and Rarity."

"Maybe they will become romantically involved after this," Coco giggled.

"I'm not sure if that's how it works, Coco," said Rainbow Dash, who came over with Soarin. "You may have listened to too many love songs recently."

"Well, we are at a formal, Dashie," Soarin pointed out. "Are there any love songs you like?"

"N-no!" Rainbow stammered. "Love songs are not my thing at all!"

"Sure they're not," said Vincent, rolling his eyes.

"You two are lucky to have found each other though, Soarin and Rainbow," Coco smiled.

"Thanks, Coco," said Soarin.

"It was tough going though," Rainbow put in. "There's this one guy who I knew through my friend Fluttershy who just wouldn't accept Soarin and I together."

"Who is it?" asked Coco.

"Fluttershy's younger bro, Zephyr Breeze," Rainbow muttered in disgust.

"Oh, I see," said Vincent.

"And... oh, shoot," groaned Rainbow. "When I'm a senior next year, Zephyr's going to be in his freshman year and Soarin's going to be at college."

"At least it's only one year and not three," said Vincent, hoping to cheer her up. He was also referring to Blossomforth being overbearing around him, but didn't mention it out loud.

"I just hope he doesn't try asking me to the Formal during next year..." Rainbow said quietly. But Coco couldn't help but wonder why Zephyr didn't approve of the relationship.

 _I think I'll chat with Zephyr when I meet him,_ she thought to herself.

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 2013**

The following year came and the Fall Formal was coming once more. Unfortunately, since Flash and Soarin were in college by now, Twilight and Rainbow couldn't ask them to go. Twinkleshine couldn't ask Brawly Beats either because he was expelled from the school system entirely.

"It's a shame," sighed Twilight. "Flash and I had such a good time last year."

"Same with Brawly Beats and me..." Twinkleshine added. "Why did he have to be expelled? It wasn't his fault he didn't know Mr. Doodle was allergic to fish."

"I was lucky to have a chance to go with Big Mac at all," said Fluttershy. "He was only in high school for one year the same as I was."

"At least Vincent gets to be with Sunset at long last," said Twilight.

"Yeah, good for him," said Rainbow Dash. Before she could say anymore, the group heard a voice.

"Rainbows! Guess who wants to go to the Formal with you!"

"Oh no..."

"I'm finally with you in high school, Rainbows," Zephyr said smoothly. "I can't wait to dance the night away with you."

"She's already got a boyfriend, Zephyr," said Fluttershy firmly.

"But... he's not in high school now is he?" Zephyr argued. "And didn't you go with Stormwalker last year?"

"He asked me as a friend," Fluttershy told her brother. "That's different."

"What do you see in Soarin anyway?" grunted Zephyr to Rainbow Dash. "I could be a good boyfriend."

"He's hardworking, friendly, humble and sometimes he can be a bit goofy but lovable at the same time. And so sweet..." Rainbow smiled to herself, remembering when they danced at the 2010, 2011 and 2012 Fall Formals together. If was as if she'd forgotten everyone else present.

"Ugh! Fine, just go on about Soarin then!" Zephyr groaned, storming off.

"Oh dear..." sighed Twilight. "Not another love triangle."

"How many of those are going to happen?" asked Twinkleshine.

"Who knows, girls?" sighed Fluttershy. "I thought they were crazy enough in _The Sims 2_ computer game in the town Pleasantview."

* * *

Back with Zephyr, he was not taking the sting of rejection well.

"Maybe I'm not good enough for anyone..." he sighed, sitting on the floor.

Just then, who should come up but Coco Pommel.

"You're upset because you got rejected, huh?" Coco said quietly.

"What do you think?" Zephyr muttered.

"I'll take that as a yes," said Coco, placing a hand on Zephyr's shoulder. "It can hurt, I know."

"I don't know who I'm going to go with to the Formal now..." Zephyr sighed.

"I... don't have anyone either," said Coco. "Maybe... you and I could go as friends."

"You?" Zephyr gasped. "I... I didn't think anyone would be willing to ask me to go."

"Why not?"

"Well, outside of my family and friends of the family, most people tend to avoid me," Zephyr explained. "Heck, there are times where I feel overshadowed by my sister and my cousins. Fluttershy is so good at tending to animals, Song Cue and Heartsong share their love of singing and it also turns out Fluttershy's singing talents got her in the Rainbooms, Song Cue and Heartsong aren't half bad with animals either, and Orange Sherbet and Butterscotch are top-notch cooks."

"Zephyr..." Coco gently held his hand. "Everyone has a talent deep within them. Including you. That's what Rarity helped me to see."

"But what could my talent be?" Zephyer sighed. "I've tried all the things my cousins and sister are good at and I'm hopeless at those things."

"Maybe... something about fashion?"

"I suppose I could try," said Zephyr.

* * *

Later, Zephyr was over at Coco's house and she was showing him how she made new clothes.

"It takes time and effort," Coco explained, "but it's worth it when it's all made."

"You really make all this yourself?" gasped Zephyr. "Wow... that's amazing."

"Sometimes Rarity helps me," Coco explained. "And... there was this time where I worked for Suri."

"Who's Suri..." Zephyr began, before remembering.

"It was a dark time for me," Coco said sadly.

"No one should be forced to work under those orders," Zephyr said firmly. "You have real talent, Coco. Suri's just a jealous bully."

"Y-you think that?" asked Coco, blushing slightly.

"I can just tell by all these clothes you've made and the ones you're planning on making in this book," replied Zephyr. "Don't let mean people hold you back."

Coco gave Zephyr a tight hug. "I won't," she whispered. "Thank you for the advice, Zephyr."

* * *

Soon, it was time for the 2013 Formal. Coco and Zephyr went as planned, and they saw Vincent dancing with Sunset.

"Vincent looks so happy to be with Sunset at last," Coco smiled.

"You went with him last year?" asked Zephyr. Coco gave a shy nod in reply.

"Vincent was so kind in letting me go with him."

Zephyr was shocked. _Didn't Vincent like Sunset?_ he wondered. _If so, why on earth would he ask Coco?_

Later, Sunset and Vincent were crowned Princess and Prince of the Fall Formal.

"Aww, Vincent looks so handsome with a crown on," Coco whispered. Zephyr looked cross.

"I... I'm just getting some punch," he muttered, walking away.

Twilight was chatting with Moon Dancer, Twinkleshine, Rainbow and Fluttershy just as Zephyr stormed past.

"Gee, what's up with him?" said Moon.

"Who knows?" said Rainbow Dash. "Not really my issue."

"Zephyr said he was going to the Formal with Coco," Fluttershy told the girls. "But I don't see her with him."

"Coco?" asked Rainbow. "If I couldn't stand Zephyr, then a quiet girl like Coco would never get along with him."

"That's not what I heard," said Fluttershy.

"What are you saying, Flutters?" asked Twilight.

"Coco said she saw Zephyr upset from being rejected," Fluttershy explained, "and he was impressed with her clothes making."

"Then what could have happened with Zephyr and Coco to make the former run off?" asked Twinkleshine.

The group tried to think about why, but no ideas came to them. As the 2013-2014 year carried on by, Fluttershy couldn't help but notice that Coco would often blush when she saw Vincent or even give him compliments every once in a while. She became especially concerned when Vincent and Sunset officially became boyfriend and girlfriend.

"Oh my goodness..." Fluttershy said quietly. "What's going to happen when Sunset graduates?"

The answer came soon enough.

* * *

When August came, Vincent, Fluttershy, Twilight, Song Cue, Comet and the rest of the students in their year level were seniors. During the 2014-2015 year, Coco's crush on Vincent only became stronger.

One particular day in February, Coco was in one of her good moods. She saw Vincent eating his lunch with Twilight, Comet and Song Cue.

"Mind if I sit with you guys?" asked Coco.

"I don't mind," said Vincent.

"The more the merrier, Coco," Twilight smiled. "What's going on today?"

"I've been making some clothes based on some research I did on the Beatles," she said. "There was a time where they wore suits and mop-tops as I recall."

"Yeah, they were quite the influence back in the 60s," said Vincent, brushing some hair that had gotten into his face. Lately, it had been getting longer, almost down to his shoulders, and a mustache was beginning to grow on his face.

"I can tell by their photos," said Coco, and looked over toward Vincent. "I think there was a photo where they grew mustaches for one of their photo shoots."

"Actually, I read somewhere that Paul McCartney wore a fake mustache during the _Sgt. Pepper's_ photo shoot," Song Cue said. "Though I can't remember why."

"It's all a rumor," said Vincent. "Just something people made up because they're crazy like that. Far as I know, Paul's alive."

"I think she meant something else entirely, Vincent," Twilight put in.

"Oh, I think she was talking about the motorcycle accident when Paul chipped a tooth," Coco realized. "He wore a fake mustache to cover up his stitches."

"Oh yeah," said Vincent. "I forgot about that."

"Heh, glad I reminded you," Coco giggled. She tried to hide her blushing by putting a hand on her cheek. Zephyr was looking on from another table where he, Fluttershy, Heartsong, Chip Mint, Saffron and Doughnut Joe were eating at.

"I don't believe this!" Zephyr growled. "First Rainbow rejects me, now Coco too?!"

"Coco doesn't like Vincent in that way... does she?" asked Heartsong.

"She's been blushing a lot since he asked her to the 2012 Fall Formal," Doughnut Joe explained.

"Not helping, Joe," Zephyr grunted.

"Should we jump to conclusions like that?" asked Chip Mint. "We don't know what's going on from Vincent's end of things. Maybe he just sees her as a friend and no more."

"That does sound like the best explanation," said Saffron. "Vincent's devoted to Sunset, no matter how many girls had crushes on him in the past. Maybe he even sees Coco as a sister figure."

"He's trying to ruin my chances of being happy with someone, that's what he's doing!" Zephyr groaned.

But just then, the students heard the sound of the bell.

"Not again!" Chip Mint sighed.

"That's getting really old," sighed Fluttershy.

"Let's get to class," Saffron got up and everyone walked off. "I've got writing right now."

"Same here," said Comet. "Let's sit together."

"See you after school, guys," said Song Cue. "I'm off to gym class."

"So have I," Coco said suddenly.

"I'm off to gym too," said Vincent.

"Let's all go together then," said Song Cue. "Spitfire says we may do a game if we're really good." Zephyr looked at his schedule again.

"Oh... I've got gym class too. Hmm... I can get Vincent then."

* * *

Later, in gym class, Spitfire was putting everyone through their paces, and she was impressed by their efforts.

"Looking good, students," she called. "If you keep this up, I think we can play dodge-ball later."

"I love dodge-ball," said Song Cue to Vincent. "Though, I am terrible at it. Give me thirty seconds and I'd be hit."

"I'm usually agile in avoiding being hit," said Vincent, "but that normally means having to use my classmates as a shield, which I do feel bad for."

"Well, I think you'll be far better than me," admitted Song Cue. "Just don't use me as a shield, okay?"

"Okay, Song Cue."

Later, Spitfire decided for the game to go ahead.

"Okay, everyone!" called Spitfire. "You know the rules. If a ball hits you below your shoulders, you're out!"

"But what if they hit you above the shoulder or on it?" asked a student.

"That would be foul play and the person who threw the ball is sent to the principal's office, Button Mash," Spitfire explained. "Unless, of course, it was an accident." Spitfire put the balls out on the court and blew the whistle.

"Let's play!" she called. Quickly, some of the students went to grab a ball or two.

"Here we go!" said Coco, and she threw a ball toward another student.

"Look out!" said another student, but the first student got hit.

"Good job, Coco!" called Vincent.

"Thanks, Vincent." Zephyr, meanwhile, didn't look happy.

"I'll show him."

He tried to hit Vincent with his ball, but it hit Button Mash's foot instead.

"Aw, man, I'm out," he complained.

"Missed..." Zephyr tried to get another ball, but they were all being used by other students at the moment.

"How am I gonna get him?" he said to himself. Zephyr barely avoided another ball but it hit Song Cue instead.

"I said I'd be out quickly," she muttered.

"At least you weren't used as a shield," said Vincent, hoping it'd cheer her up.

"Yes, that's true." Song Cue went to sit down with Button Mash and the other students who were out.

Later, it was down to just a few students; Vincent, Zephyr and Coco among them.

"Vincent's doing great," said Song Cue to Button Mash.

"Yeah, it's amazing he managed to last as long as he did," said Button Mash.

"I wonder who will win," Song Cue said to herself.

But then there was trouble; Zephyr took one of the balls and threw it hard. Before Vincent could see it coming, the ball whacked him right in the nose!

"Zephyr Breeze Shy!" snapped Spitfire. "What was that all about?"

Vincent groaned as he put both hands to where he'd been hit. When he looked down at them, he could see that his nose was bleeding. Song Cue jumped up from where she was and rushed to her friend's side.

"Miss Spitfire, could I take Vincent to the nurse's office?" she asked. She glared at Zephyr. "I can't believe my own cousin would do something as shallow as this!" she growled.

"Sure, Song Cue. You take Vincent," Spitfire nodded calmly.

"What did I even do to you?" asked Vincent to Zephyr. "I know we don't see eye to eye, but like Song Cue said, that's pretty shallow."

"What did you... I saw Coco blushing and giggling when she was with you nearly every day since I got here!" Zephyr retorted. At this point, Coco had joined the group.

"Vincent, oh Vincent, is it serious?"

"I think he'll be alright, Coco," Song Cue assured. "I was about to take him to the nurses' office."

"You're supposed to be paying attention to ME!" Zephyr cried out. "You didn't even try to find me during break time today. Why is it that every time I try to hang with you, you make up some excuse to ditch me? It's not fair!"

"Stop that." The three of them turned to face Coco, who was now giving Zephyr a very dangerous stare which made him uncomfortable.

"He's boned," said Vincent to Song Cue.

"Not the word I'd use, but yeah," Song Cue agreed.

"Zephyr Breeze!" Coco said acidly. "You are by far the most arrogant and self-centered boy I have ever met. You brag to everybody thinking that you are the greatest in school even though you're not. You, for instance, bullied Morning Roast into making her feel like she's unwanted, and flirted with Rainbow Dash constantly even though she was already taken! To be honest, I don't care at all for your arrogant nature! Why can't you be a gentleman like Vincent?"

Zephyr winced at what she had said, but Coco did not stop there.

"Ever since we met," she continued, "I've been wondering to myself what was wrong with you. Why is it that you're always trying to show off and make people think you're the best instead of thinking about other people's feelings? You didn't even show any concern for Vincent when he got hurt because of _you_! I don't like a guy that's arrogant and doesn't care for those around him, Zephyr Breeze."

Everyone, even Spitfire, stared in silence at Coco's calling out towards Zephyr; never did they imagine someone as soft-spoken as her to be that up with someone like that. Needless to say, Zephyr didn't take very kindly to what she had said.

"I think I get what you're saying, Coco," he said, calmly at first, before getting angrier. "What you're saying is that _you have always hated me_!"

"Zephyr..." Coco said quietly, any traces of anger gone.

"All this time you've been deceiving me, making me think there was a light in my life when all along you've fed me false hopes to make me think that we'd be boyfriend and girlfriend one day, only to rip my heart in half and crush my dreams just for personal amusement!"

"Cous..." gasped Song Cue, but Zephyr had angry tears coming down his eyes now. Even Vincent was shocked by his behavior.

"I can't believe I wasted two years' worth of high school trying to get a selfish, heartless witch like you to notice me!" he continued, causing Coco to fearfully back up into a wall. "If you didn't care for me, you could've at least had the decency to say so rather than waiting to break my heart! If you want nothing to do with me, then I want nothing to do with you either! I hate you, Coco Pommel! Do you hear me?! I HATE YOU! I never want to see or talk to you ever again!"

"Zephyr Breeze, that is enough!" snapped Spitfire. "Go to Principal McCracken's office!" Zephyr sulked off without needing to be told twice.

"Come on, Vincent, let's get that nose better," Song Cue said quietly. Coco whimpered where she was and started crying.

"Oh, Coco..." sighed Song Cue.

"Do you want to go with someone and get some water, Coco?" asked Spitfire. Coco sniffled and nodded.

"I'll go with you," said Button Mash. Vincent and Song Cue headed towards the nurse's office while Coco and Button Mash went toward the drink taps, the shy fashion lover sadly thinking over what had just happened.

 _How can I make things right now?_ she wondered.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **The ending confrontation between Zephyr and Coco was inspired from James and Matt's Thomas/Yu-Gi-Oh crossover series; specifically, episode 53,** ** _Arrogance? Or a Weakness?_** **.**


	37. SOTC9 - Intuition

The Zephyr and Coco trilogy continues!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 9 - Intuition (Lennon, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Coco started heading for Rarity's house on the train with Sweetie Belle. The former had promised to meet with Rarity to help her with some new clothing ideas. The light blue haired girl was still feeling depressed about her fallout with Zephyr.

"Oh... If I hadn't spent so much time gushing over Vincent, this could have been prevented," she whispered.

"You and Vincent?" gasped Sweetie Belle. "I thought he loved Sunset."

"Oh, he does," sighed Coco. "And he's faithful, and I know he's faithful... But..." She broke off. "He treated me like a lady during the 2012 Formal. And every day since then, my crush on him grew and grew..."

"Oh my," said Sweetie Belle.

"And that's the problem." Coco put her hand on her head. "If I tell Vincent and Sunset, I'll lose both of them as friends."

"Come on," Sweetie Belle said comfortingly; by now, the train reached her usual stop. "Let's see Rarity. She may cheer you up."

* * *

At Rarity and Sweetie Belle's house, the older sister poured out tea for the three of them.

"Now Coco, dear, what's gotten you so down in the dumps?" asked Rarity. Coco told her about what had happened.

"Oh, my stars!" gasped Rarity. "Zephyr said those things to you?" Coco nodded sadly.

"This cannot go under the rug," Rarity got her phone and called up Fluttershy's moblie.

" _Oh, hello, Rarity,_ " said Fluttershy. " _I was about to begin my shift at the animal shelter. What's up?_ "

"Fluttershy, you weren't in gym class after lunch today, were you?" asked Rarity.

" _No, I had math class,_ " replied Fluttershy. " _Why?_ " When Rarity had finished explaining, Fluttershy nearly dropped her phone in shock.

" _That brother of mine!_ " Fluttershy snapped. " _Thanks for telling me, Rarity._ "

"No problem," replied Rarity, though she was a little stunned by the soft spoken teenager's outburst. "I'll see you for our usual spa appointment on Saturday."

"See you then." The phone cut off and Fluttershy did her shift like normal.

* * *

When she got back home, Fluttersy found Zephyr pouting as he played _Sonic Adventure 2_.

"Zephyr Breeze!" she snapped, taking the control away.

"Hey!" cried Zephyr, as Shadow fell down a bottomless pit. "You ruined my A Rank!" Though Fluttershy was cross, she still pushed the pause button after Shadow reset.

"I had a phone call just before my shift started today," she said firmly. "Rarity tells me you said some things that upset poor Coco, and you even had nerve to hit Vincent with a dodge-ball in the face!"

"Not you too, sis!" Zephyr retorted. "I tried to tell Vincent that he was stealing Coco from me, but everyone takes his side!"

"But did you even bother listening to his side of the story?"

"What is there to hear?" Zephyr snapped. "I've already lost Rainbow Dash to someone else, and Coco only pretended to be interested in me to break my heart. It's clear she likes Vincent more than me!"

"Zephyr, I lost Big Macintosh to Sugar Belle sometime ago!" Fluttershy argued. "But do you see me pelting dodge-balls at Sugar Belle's face? No! I'm very happy for Big Mac and Sugar Belle. Sure, I may be upset that I lost my chance, but Big Mac and I are still friends! You're just letting jealousy and pride override your common sense!"

Posey and Cloud Wisp had overheard the conversation and came into the room.

"Zephyr!" snapped Cloud Wisp. "Is it true you hurt Vincent in dodge-ball and said harsh words to Coco?"

"I was trying to get the message through their heads!" Zephyr argued. "Can no one understand what _I_ was going through around here?!"

"Zephyr, you're grounded!" Posey said firmly. "Which means no playing video games for a while!"

"Aw, come on!" protested Zephyr. "That's not fair."

"I think it is," said Cloud Wisp. "It's your own fault, Zephyr." He turned to Fluttershy. "Do you feel like playing _Sonic Adventure 2_ right now?"

She nodded. "I'll probably spend time in the chao garden."

"You spend hours in there..." Zephyr muttered, going to his room.

* * *

Zephyr thought that would be it for his burdens but during school the next day when the first class started, there was an announcement.

" _Zephyr Breeze Shy, could you come to my office please?_ "

"What could Principal McCracken want..." Zephyr said to himself.

"Gee, I wonder what," Song Cue muttered. She was in the same cooking class as him with Morning Roast as her partner.

"What happened, Song Cue?" the sophomore girl asked the senior.

"I'll tell you later, Roast," Song Cue sighed, and Zephyr trudged off to Celestia's office.

* * *

Celestia was not pleased with Zephyr's behavior from yesterday.

"Zephyr Breeze Shy!" she scolded. "How dare you harm one of your fellow students, and the boyfriend of my daughter no less!"

"Well, your daughter's boyfriend has been stealing my chance at being happy with Coco!" Zephyr retorted. "She blushes and giggles every time she gets near him."

"But was that any reason to physically assault him?" asked Celestia.

"Ugh!" snapped Zephyr. "Nobody is taking my side in the argument here. Doesn't anyone get it?"

"If that's how you're going to be," said Celestia, "you're on detention for the next week, starting today!"

Zephyr was utterly speechless. Both his crushes had slipped away with being more interested in someone else, no one had thought of giving him support during this time, his parents grounded him and now he was getting detention?!

"Go back to class," Celestia went on. "And after school, you know where to go!"

Zephyr slowly left the office and returned to the classroom without a word. The students were cleaning up the cooking supplies when Zephyr returned. His partner for the day, Gabby, had already put the muffins in the oven and was in the middle of washing up. He hardly noticed her when she asked him what went on in the office.

"Everyone's turned against me..." Zephyr said to himself as he cleaned a bowl.

* * *

During brunch period, Zephyr was still not faring any better than what he was yesterday. Most of the student body had heard about what he had done to Vincent yesterday and didn't want to be anywhere near him. However, there were a pair of students who were concerned about Zephyr and ventured up to him.

"Hey, Zeph..." said Silver Spoon. "Feeling troubled huh?"

"What do you think?" he muttered.

"We'll take that as a yes," sighed First Base.

"You know, Zephyr," said Silver Spoon, "you're not the only one who got jealous of a love triangle." He looked up upon hearing that.

"I'm not?"

"Well, there's me," Silver Spoon admitted. "I was afraid that I wouldn't get to go to the Fall Formal with First Base."

"What exactly happened?" asked Zephyr.

"This happened shortly after orientation," First Base began.

* * *

 **AUGUST 27, 2014**

During the first week of high school, First Base felt it'd be a good idea to bring Silver Spoon closer to his sisters' inner circle of friends.

"Come on, Silv," First Base encouraged. "Let's give it a try."

"Uh, I don't know, Base," she said nervously. "I treated them horribly in the past."

"That's all in the past now," said First Base. "It doesn't define your present self, does it?"

"Well, no," Silver admitted, "but your friends may not see that."

Down at the table, Scootaloo, Heartsong and Sweetie Belle were eating lunch with Rumble, Chip Mint and Pipsqueak.

"Where's First Base at?" asked Heartsong to Scootaloo.

"I'm not sure," she replied.

"I'm sure he can't be too far off," said Sweetie Belle.

"I'm here, guys," called First Base, with Silver Spoon looking very nervous beside him. "I was wondering if we could have someone else join us for lunch."

"Silver Spoon?" asked Rumble in surprise.

"What's she doing here?" asked Heartsong.

"I've befriended her throughout Canterlot Middle," First Base explained. "You'd be surprised how much she's changed since."

"I was wondering where you went during certain days at break time," said Scootaloo.

"I guess she could sit with us," said Sweetie Belle, though she and the others were on edge.

"So..." Silver said awkwardly. "Anything interesting happen over break?"

"My sister went on tour with her band," Sweetie Belle explained. "The Rainbooms took quite a few friends and family with them."

"One of them being my sister-slash-Fluttershy's cousin," Heartsong went on. "Song Cue just couldn't resist going."

"Mine and First Base's half-brothers Vincent and Flash went too," Scootaloo went on. "Flash went as part of the opening act, Flash Drive, and Vincent went because he wanted to see his brother and girlfriend perform."

"He really does love them, doesn't he?" asked Silver Spoon.

"We've grown close with Flash, Vincent and Fictionary since we've found out the truth of our family origins," First Base smiled.

"I'm glad to hear you've solved that mystery," said Silver Spoon. "Hopefully no one else has a dramatic family reveal."

"Good point, Silver Spoon," said Chip Mint.

As the eight freshmen continued to eat their meals, two more girls came up. Silver Spoon instantly recognized them from orientation.

"Hello, everyone," said Peachy Pie. "Is there room at the table?"

"Uh, there's four empty seats," First Base said awkwardly. To be honest, the reason why he chose this table for the lunch meeting place was so he would be prepared for when Apple Bloom, Fictionary, Featherweight and Butterscotch were ready to join them when they came to high school in the following year.

Unfortunately for First Base, Sunny Daze sat right next to him and Peachy Pie next to Silver Spoon.

"I'm sure you're aware of the Fall Formal," Sunny Daze giggled, tapping First Base cheekily on the nose.

"Uh... I, er..."

"Cousin Pinkie Pie told me all about it," said Peachy Pie. "It's such a romantic night from what I've been hearing. Are you open?"

"Uh... the Fall Formal hasn't been officially announced yet," First Base said quickly. "W-wouldn't it do us good to wait for the announcement before that could be considered?" He was hoping that it would keep the attention away from him.

"I suppose you've got a point," sighed Sunny Daze. Silver Spoon mentally sighed with relief. Deep down however, she felt shaken.

 _What if... First Base chooses one of them for the Fall Formal?_ she thought. _Both_ _of them do look pretty, and I bet they haven't bullied anyone._ But Silver Spoon didn't have much time to dwell on that because...

"That bell!" sighed Scootaloo.

"What have you got now, First Base?" asked Silver Spoon.

"Cooking," he replied.

"I have history," Silver Spoon told him and the two parted ways.

* * *

Unfortunately for him, one of the students in First Base's cooking class was Peachy Pie.

"Okay, class," said the teacher. "We're making cookies today. Choose a partner and we'll get started."

 _Please don't be Peachy Pie, please don't be Peachy Pie, please don't be Peachy Pie..._ First Base thought to himself.

"Could we be partners?" asked Peachy Pie sweetly.

"Ah, there you are, First Base," smiled the teacher. "You've got a partner already."

 _Please kill me..._ First Base thought again. Peachy Pie skipped all the way to the cooking area with the recipe while First Base followed at a slower pace. Other students quickly chose partners too.

"You have your choices of cookie cutters," the teacher went on. Among them were fruit shapes, butterflies, fish shapes, and even hearts.

"Ooh, we could do a few peach shaped cookies," Peachy Pie said, "and a few heart ones too."

"I... don't think there's a peach-shaped cookie cutter," said First Base.

"Guess we're sticking with hearts then." Peachy Pie grabbed a couple and came back.

 _Why did she have to pick them?_ he thought to himself. Then suddenly, a nasty thought came to him, and he went white. _Oh, shoot... this can't be good_...

When the cookies were done, it was time to decorate them. The icing was done in all the colors of the rainbow, and there were other things to decorate them with; sprinkles, candies, candy gems, you name it.

"I'm going for red icing," said Peachy Pie, grabbing some for her half of the cookies. "What about you?"

"I might go for blue," said First Base. "My favorite color alongside orange."

"Yeah, blue's a nice color," agreed Peachy Pie. She started icing her cookies and chose some sprinkles for the edges.

As the two carried on, Peachy Pie saved her biggest cookie for last. She got out one of the small icing tubes used for drawing or writing and wrote "FB + PP" on it. First Base was too busy working on his cookies to realize.

 _Maybe I should do something for Silver Spoon..._ First Base thought to himself. He looked at his biggest cookie, which he too saved for last, and put on candy gems. He also put on "FB + SS" on it with an icing pen.

"She'll love it," First Base said quietly.

Soon, everyone put their cookies into their containers to take home at the end of the day. Well, First Base put his special cookie in a separate container.

"Alright, students," called the teacher. "That does it for class for today." The students were about to go when Peachy Pie went up to First Base.

"This is for you." She gave him her special cookie.

"Um... thanks?"

"Aww!" cried a junior student named Star Tracker. "First Base has a crush!"

Some of the students snickered lightly, but most of them went into "awws". First Base looked very embarrassed.

"I don't have a crush on anybody!" he cried out loud.

Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to convince anyone and everyone dashed off for lunch.

* * *

During First Base's next class, gym class, he was hoping to use it to his advantage to get rid of his embarrassment. But one of students in his class was Sunny Daze.

"Okay everyone," cried Spitfire. "We're practicing serving the volleyball today. Choose a partner, grab a ball and get started." The students quickly chose partners, and the only student without a partner First Base could find was Sunny Daze.

"Looks like it's you and me!" she beamed, almost as bright as the sun itself.

 _Give me a break,_ he thought to himself. _What is it with these girls wanting to be with me?_

Sunny Daze grabbed a ball and rushed to an area of the gym where they wouldn't hit anyone with the ball by accident.

"I'm decent at volleyball," said Sunny Daze. "My big sister, Strawberry Sunrise, plays it with me a fair bit."

"Sounds like fun," said First Base. "Baseball's mostly my thing, you see."

"Maybe next class we'll be playing baseball," Sunny Daze replied, and she served the ball toward First Base.

"I hope so," First Base went on, serving the ball back to Sunny Daze. As the two were practicing, First Base accidentally hit the ball too far.

"Uh oh!"

"I got it!" cried Sunny Daze. But as she caught the ball, she slipped on some water that had spilled from someone's water bottle during the previous gym class.

"Ouch!" she yelped.

"What's going on here?" cried Spitfire, rushing over.

"Someone must've spilled some water by mistake," said First Base.

"Where does it hurt?" asked Spitfire.

"My leg," winced Sunny Daze. She tried getting up, but her leg was in so much pain she couldn't.

"I'll help you to the nurse's office," First Base offered, helping Sunny Daze to her feet and she leaned on him. "You may have a sprain or something."

"Aww, that's adorable," giggled Haven Bay; she and her twin sister Selina Blue (also in gym class) were sophomore students by now. "First Base is helping his crush."

"How's that possible?" asked another student. "I heard it was Peachy Pie!"

"Why do people think I have a crush?!" snapped First Base, but Sunny Daze seemed to be hugging him as they left the gym. Poor First Base didn't know what to do. The teasing only worsened when he returned to gym class, and by home time, word had gotten out around the school about his supposed crushes on Sunny Daze and Peachy Pie.

"Who do you think he likes more?" asked Selina Blue to Haven Bay.

"I don't like either of them!" snapped First Base. "I hardly even know them at all!"

"What's going on?" came Vincent's voice. He was with Scootaloo.

"We think First Base has a crush on Peachy Pie," said Selina Blue.

"No, Sunny Daze," argued Haven Bay.

"I have a crush on neither!" insisted First Base. "Just because I'm around them, it doesn't mean I'm in love!"

"He's right," Scootaloo put in. "Leave my twin alone. He just sees Sunny and Peachy as friends."

"Hey, Haven, Selina!" called Skystar. "We should get to the train. Dad will be waiting for us."

"Comin', Sky..."

"Sorry, guys," Skystar apologized. "They can be quite the gossip girls."

"So we've seen," said Scootaloo.

"I'll chat with them at home," Skystar told them and she took off after them.

"Now the whole school thinks I have crushes on two girls..." First Base put his hands on his head in frustration. "What'll I do if Silver Spoon finds out?"

* * *

As bad luck would have it, Silver Spoon was getting her things to go home herself when she saw Peachy Pie and Sunny Daze at their lockers too.

"I hope First Base likes the cookie I gave him," said Peachy Pie.

"Well, First Base says he may show me how to play baseball when my foot is better," Sunny Daze put in.

"Wait, what do you girls mean?" asked Silver Spoon.

"I was his partner in cooking class," said Peachy Pie. "And I gave him a heart cookie with our initials on it."

"And I was his partner in gym," added Sunny Daze. "I said I'd help him with volleyball and he'd help me with baseball."

 _No..._ Silver Spoon thought to herself.

"He's such a sweet boy," said Peachy Pie. "I hope we're partners in class again."

"And how long have you known him?" asked Silver.

"Not very long," Sunny Daze put in. "But we heard along the grapevine that Comet and Song Cue got together pretty quick. Comet loved Song Cue before he lay eyes on her."

"I've known First Base since elementary school," said Silver Spoon, "but his older half brother Vincent has known Sunset since they were babies."

"Childhood friends don't always equal romance," Peachy Pie retorted. "Cousin Pinkie Pie knew Cheese Sandwich since elementary school yet he's with Skystar, and she's with Thunderbass."

Silver Spoon shook her head in frustration and marched off with her stuff.

"Maybe First Base is better off with one of these two..." she sighed.

* * *

As Silver Spoon kept walking she bumped into First Base at the front door.

"Whoa!" he cried. "You okay?"

"I... I saw Peachy Pie and Sunny Daze at the lockers," Silver Spoon replied. "Heard you spent time with them."

"I did, but it wasn't my choice," First Base explained.

"Did the teachers assign you them as partners?" asked Silver Spoon.

"No, they chose to work with me," admitted First Base.

"Then why did you go along with it?" asked Silver. "Are... are the things they said around the school true?"

"What... no!" First Base insisted. "I don't 'like' either of them like that. I only went along with them as partners because the other students chose other partners."

"I don't believe that!" Silver snapped. "I-I should have known you'd choose someone else." She raced off.

"Silver Spoon, come back!" cried Scootaloo.

"Stop, Silver Spoon," called Vincent. "Please, listen to us."

"What is it?" she asked. "We have to get to the train."

"I know that," said Vincent, "but I know what it's like to be in First Base's shoes."

"Y-you do?" Silver was surprised.

"It was with a girl called Blossomforth," Vincent explained.

"You mean that girl who's dating Sandbar?" asked Silver.

"That's the one," said Vincent. "She was obsessed with me and wanted me to be with her and not Sunset."

"Gosh..." trailed Silver Spoon. "She must have come a long way since then."

"It seems to me Peachy Pie and Sunny Daze are like Blossomforth in this case," Scootaloo said quietly. "What are we gonna tell them, Vincent?"

"Well... I don't want a repeat of what I said to Blossomforth." First Base then had a thought.

"Lickety Split said he was interested in Peachy Pie," he said.

"Has he told her?" asked Scootaloo.

"Not that I'm aware," First Base admitted.

"Looks like we better set that up to solve your girl problem," said Vincent.

"What about Sunny Daze?" asked Scootaloo.

Nearby, Silver Spoon caught sight of a freshman boy named Shady Daze blushing when he heard Sunny's name.

"You've met with Sunny Daze, haven't you?" she asked Shady Daze.

"Cause we have," said First Base.

"I've... spoken with her a little," said Shady Daze, "but I'm just too shy to tell her I like her."

"You can do it," Vincent encouraged. "Do you share a class with her tomorrow?"

Shady Daze nodded. "Political Science."

"Great," smiled Scootaloo. "Good luck asking her."

When Shady Daze raced off to practice what he was going to say to Sunny Daze, First Base looked over at Silver Spoon shyly, and got out the cookie he made earlier.

"Y-you made that for me?" she gasped.

"I did," said First Base. He gave it to her and Silver blushed bright red.

"The reason why I don't have a crush on Sunny Daze or Peachy Pie is because I already have a crush on someone else," he explained, blushing too.

"Who is it?" asked Silver Spoon. First Base gave her a hug.

"Can't you guess?"

"You mean it's... me?"

"Yes, you silly," chuckled First Base. "You're the first girl outside of my family I felt comfortable talking to, and we've made such a strong friendship over the years."

"I got a crush on you too," Silver admitted. "You're the first person who treated me as a friend, and stuck by me even though I used to be a bully."

The two of them lightly kissed each other on the cheek.

"Save the romance for when I'm _not_ around!" muttered Scootaloo.

"Aw, lighten up, Scoots," said Vincent. "It's not like you haven't done the same with Rumble, am I right?"

"Uh... er..."

* * *

September finally rolled in and it wasn't a hard choice for the Crusaders and their dates; Heartsong chose Chip Mint, Scootaloo chose Rumble, Sweetie Belle chose Pipsqueak and First Base, of course, went with Silver Spoon.

"Come on, guys," said Heartsong. "This will be amazing."

"It sure is bound to be," said Pipsqueak. "Though I may be a bit short when it comes to dancing."

"We'll make it work, Pip," Sweetie Belle assured him.

All four of the freshmen couples stepped into the hall with excitement.

"Hey, Base," called a voice. Peachy Pie was there with Lickety Spilt and Sunny Daze with Shady Daze.

"Oh, hey girls," said First Base.

"We're sorry we were so overbearing," said Sunny.

"Indeed," agreed Peachy Pie. "We were foolish to go all out on you like that. You're so happy with Silver Spoon."

"Thanks, girls," he replied. "Looks like you found good partners too."

Just then, Celestia announced it was time for dancing, and "Beautiful Life" by Ace of Base came on.

"I love this song!" cried Heartsong and she and her friends rushed to the dance floor.

"Wow..." said Silver Spoon to First Base. "You're quite a good dancer."

"I got tips from my brothers," said First Base. "As did Scootaloo, by the looks of it." The two of them glanced to see Scootaloo dancing with Rumble, and she was giving the occasional giggle.

"I also got lessons from aunt Octavia," Silver Spoon replied. "Sometimes it's cool to have a dance teacher for an aunt."

"I bet it is," said First Base. "To think we've come this far."

The two of them leaned in for another kiss as they continued to have their magical night...

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 25, 2015**

"And that is how we got together," smiled Silver Spoon.

"So, it was just a misunderstanding about Peachy and Sunny liking you, First Base?" asked Zephyr.

"Yep," said First Base.

"Well, that's well and fine for you guys, but..." Zephyr sighed. "I really messed this one up with Coco."

Poor Zephyr was finally realizing the weight of what he did. Vincent didn't deserve a dodge-ball in the face and yelling at Coco was uncalled for.

"Coco will hate me forever after this stunt..." Zephyr sighed, not even realizing the bell had gone until he noticed the freshmen pair move off. He dashed off to class.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **When writing, we almost forgot about the Silver Spoon/First Base subplot and we resolved it here.**

 **Rachel: Peachy Pie and Pinkie Pie being cousins is based on a fanfiction I read a long time ago.**


	38. SOTC10 - Beautiful Girl

The Zephyr and Coco trilogy comes to a conclusion! A short chapter, but since a lot of the previous chapters were very long, it seems fair to me.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 10 - Beautiful Girl (Harrison, 1976)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Coco hadn't had a good day at school. Other students sympathized with her but spoke harsh words about Zephyr all day.

"He should be expelled for that stunt," said Shady Daze to Lickety Split.

"But is that really the worst thing any student could do?" asked Lickety Split.

"Vincent had to get sent to the nurse's office," Shady Daze replied. "That's pretty serious."

 _Expelled..._ thought Coco. _Oh, bless him, no! Sure, it was wrong of him to do that, but that's too much._

"I'm not angry with him over it," said Vincent. "I'm just confused as to why he'd do that. I never did anything to upset him personally."

"It is a puzzle," Song Cue tapped her chin. "And more confusing than anything the Puzzler's given the Numberjacks."

"Have you been watching that show with Mystic?" asked Pinkie.

"I have," said Song Cue.

"I showed it to the Cake twins," Pinkie smiled. "Though I sometimes even watch it when they aren't with me. I can't resist."

Song Cue gave a nod too. She understood how that felt.

"Bonding over children's shows is good, you two," Twilight said, "but we've got a serious issue to figure out."

"Oh, sorry," Song Cue said quickly.

"We have to think," said Comet. "What would have set Zephyr off on a time bomb?"

"Maybe it had something to do with Coco?" suggested Vincent. Fluttershy then remembered something.

"Zephyr said you were trying to ruin his chance at a romance with Coco," she said.

"But Vincent is in a relationship with Sunset," objected Pinkie. "Why would he try to get with Coco? That doesn't make any sense."

"Because I'm not in love with Coco?" Vincent deadpanned.

"Something's not adding up," sighed Comet. Then he tapped his chin. "Unless... It's _Coco_ who has a crush on Vincent."

"Crush on me?" asked Vincent. "How can that be possible? I had Blossomforth crushing on me and it wasn't pretty."

Song Cue was silent for a moment as she thought back.

"The 2012 Fall Formal!" she cried. "That has to be it."

"How so?" asked Vincent.

"It makes sense," said Fluttershy. "Coco was lonely without someone for the Formal, and then you asked her to go."

"Crushes are strange like that," said Twilight. "Sometimes one small act of kindness is enough to have someone gain a crush on you."

"I can't believe we didn't pick up on this before," Orange shook his head in disbelief. "If we'd found out about that earlier..."

"Indeed," said Pinkie. "How will we sort this mess out?"

"I may have to speak with Sunset about this," said Vincent.

* * *

After school, Vincent went over to Sunset's place.

"Hey Vincent," Sunset greeted when she opened the door. "How's your final year of school been doing for you?"

"Been doing great for the most part," said Vincent. "Besides the odd bump here and there."

"Things have been quite eventful from what you've told me," nodded Sunset. "Mystic Light is adopted, Flurry Heart is born, Twinkleshine is expecting, Silver Spoon and First Base are together." She sighed. "Hopefully these last few months are peaceful."

"I hope so too," said Vincent.

"Did anything unusual happen?" asked Sunset.

"Well, kind of," said Vincent.

"Wait, don't tell me," said Sunset. "Song Cue and Comet had to take Mystic Light to school with them."

"No, that's not it," said Vincent.

"Oh," Sunset blinked. "You had a surprise guest speaker?"

"Nothing of the sort," said Vincent.

"Okay, you got me," sighed Sunset. "What happened?"

"Sunset, it's about Coco," Vincent began. He then explained about the conversation he'd had earlier that day.

"First Trixie - albeit briefly - then Twilight's friends from elementary school, then Blossomforth, and now Coco?" gasped Sunset.

"Only this time," said Vincent, "we didn't know about it."

"How long do you think she's been crushing on you?" asked Sunset.

"Since the 2012 Fall Formal, according to Song Cue," said Vincent.

"How did we not know?" Sunset wondered.

"You think we should ask her about this?" asked Vincent.

"I think we should," said Sunset. "But let's go gently on her."

"I figure we should also bring Rarity along just in case," said Vincent.

"I'll call her," said Sunset.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rarity was visiting Song Cue's house. She, Song Cue, Comet Tail and Saffron were watching _Numberjacks_ with Mystic.

"I have to admit, this is quite a cute show," Rarity smiled. "I wish it were around when me and Sweetie Belle were little." Just then, she heard her phone ringing in her pocket. Mystic got curious and looked at the numbers on it, then pointed to the TV screen.

"Yes, Mystic," grinned Song Cue. "The Numberjacks do match the numbers on Rarity's phone." Rarity nodded as Mystic gave her a high-five.

"Good girl, she is." She then paid attention to her phone. "Sunset, what's up?"

" _Hey, Rarity. Do you remember what happened with Vincent and Zephyr the other day?_ "

"Yes, I do," sighed Rarity. "Coco told me and Sweetie Belle about it."

" _Did you notice anything about Coco having a crush on Vincent?_ " asked Sunset. " _Or did she have to tell you outright?_ "

"Coco told Sweetie and I about that too," Rarity sighed. "I was shocked when I heard the news."

" _Well, we wanted to speak with Coco about that,_ " said Sunset, " _and we were wondering if you wanted to come as well._ "

"Sure, I'll go," said Rarity. "I'll meet you there." The episode the group were watching, _Going Wrong, Going Long_ , ended, and Mystic Light was squeaking with excitement.

"Aww, Mystic, I would love to watch another one with you, but I have things I need to do." She bent over and gave the baby a kiss on her forehead.

"See you, Rare," called Comet. "Okay, Mystic, which one next?"

Mystic pointed to _Three Things Good_.

"That is one of my favorites too," smiled Song Cue. "Alright, I'm putting it on."

* * *

Rarity met up with Sunset and Vincent and the three headed down to see Coco.

"I can't believe she kept it quiet for so long," said Sunset.

"Nor do I," said Rarity. "But why did she?" the fashionista added quietly.

"We're about to find out," said Vincent. It wasn't too long before they found Coco's place. Rarity knocked on the door.

"Coming!" called a female voice; it wasn't Coco's.

"Must be her mother," Sunset said. The trio saw a woman with two toned pink hair and deep pink eyes come out.

"Greetings, Torch Song," smiled Rarity.

"You know her?" asked Sunset.

"Rarity here visits Coco a lot," Torch Song explained. "She'd have to talk to me at some point."

"We all wanted to talk to her," Vincent explained. "Kind of had something to do with me."

"Oh, of course," said Torch Song. "Do come in."

Torch Song led the three in. Her husband, a man with darker blue hair and yellow eyes, was consoling Coco on the couch.

"Toe Tapper, Coco," called Torch Song, "we have guests." Coco looked up, surprised to see who had come to see them.

"Coco," said Rarity, "it's okay. You can tell us any thing."

"Me especially," said Vincent. "I almost feel like it's my fault somehow."

"Yours?" gasped Coco. "Oh no, no, no! I knew you were faithful to Sunset and my crush would lead nowhere." Coco covered her mouth in shock. _Oh no... now I've done it..._

"Song Cue did the math and figured it out," Vincent explained. "Besides, you were far more respectable about my feelings than Blossomforth was."

"R-really?"

"Really," Vincent nodded.

"If you think you're going to lose us as friends, that is not true," Sunset assured.

"T-thank you." Coco gave Vincent and Sunset hugs. "I do still want to be your friends."

"So do we," said Vincent. "I also want to help fix your friendship with Zephyr."

"Y-you do?" Coco was overwhelmed with relief.

"Maybe we'll need Fluttershy's help," said Sunset.

"Actually, she has a late shift at the shelter today," Rarity explained. "Helping some dogs rescued from an abusive owner."

"Well, what are we going to do?" asked Vincent.

"Maybe Song Cue's free," Sunset suggested and she rang her up.

* * *

Back at the Cue residence, Song Cue had just finished feeding Mystic Light when her phone rang.

"Oh dear, Comet, could you hold Mystic please?" she asked, getting the phone.

"Sure," said Comet, taking the baby from his girlfriend's hands. "Hey there, little one..." Mystic snuggled into Comet's arms, almost sleeping.

"We'll put her down for a nap," said Saffron and the two headed upstairs.

"Thanks." Song Cue then spoke into the phone. "Hey Sunset. How'd the peace talk go?"

" _Went surprisingly well, believe it or not._ "

"That's good," said Song Cue. "I guess Coco agreed to remain as friends with Vincent."

" _She did indeed,_ " said Sunset.

"Did you sort things out with Zeph yet?" asked Song Cue.

" _Not yet,_ " said Sunset. " _We were hoping you could help us out._ "

"Well, Mystic was going down for a nap," Song Cue told Sunset. "I'll meet you at the Shys house as soon as I can."

" _Great,_ " said Sunset. " _See you soon._ "

Orange saw his sister put down her phone. "What's going on, sis?"

"Hoping to mend ties with Zephyr, Coco and Vincent," Song Cue explained. "Sunset asked me for help. Could you tell Comet and Saffron where I'm going?"

"Sure," said Orange.

"Thanks, bro," smiled Song Cue. "I can tell you'd be a good uncle in a few years."

* * *

Song Cue then met up with her friends down at the Shys' place. Cloud Wisp opened up.

"Song Cue, everyone," Cloud Wisp said, "Fluttershy's not home and Zephyr is currently grounded."

"That's kind of why we're here, Mr. Shy," said Vincent.

"It is?"

"Yeah," said Coco. "Mostly Vincent and I wanted to reason with him."

"I wish you luck," said Cloud Wisp. "He's in his room." The group went up to see Zephyr. He was finishing up some homework.

"How'd you lot get up here?" he asked.

"We told uncle Cloud Wisp we needed to talk," Song Cue explained.

"Oh..." Zephyr said quietly. "About what? That you want to cut ties altogether?"

"That we wanted to mend ties," said Coco.

Zephyr was surprised. "I-I thought you'd hate me forever after what happened in gym class..."

"Zephyr..." Coco put a hand on his shoulder. "While you did go too far, I can understand how it feels to be rejected."

"How so?"

"Back in 2012, I was asked to the Fall Formal by Noteworthy, who I had a crush on," Coco explained, "but mere days before the Formal, he asked Lyra instead."

"He did that?" asked Zephyr in shock.

Coco nodded sadly. "I didn't know what to do for a while."

"That was more or less where I came in," explained Vincent.

"But you had Sunset," Zephyr said, puzzled.

"We weren't even a couple yet," said Sunset, "and back then, I was still receiving grief from Starlight and Trixie. I had caught the bug before the Formal so I couldn't go, but I let Vincent go with Coco as a friend."

"Only as friends?" Zephyr gasped. "Nothing more?"

"Nothing more," Vincent confirmed.

"It was very foolish of me to crush on Vincent," Coco told Zephyr. "I always knew it was a one-sided thing. Vincent and Sunset were always meant to be."

"So, do you think you'll try and find someone else?" asked Zephyr.

"I think I've already found someone else," said Coco.

"Oh... that was quick," Zephyr sighed. "I'm sure that the guy in question would be very lucky."

Coco then gave Zephyr a big hug. "Can't you figure it out?"

"You mean it's... me?"

Coco giggled. "Yes, you. You helped me find some self-confidence I didn't know I had."

"You know, Coco," said Zephyr, "you did too. You helped me see that I can stand out on my own without being out-shined by my sister and cousins." He then remembered Song Cue was right there. "Er, no offence, Song."

"It's fine," said Song Cue.

"Coco..." said Zephyr. "I'm sorry for all the things I said. I don't hate you at all."

"Don't you owe someone else an apology too?" asked Song Cue. She hinted towards Vincent.

"I... I'm sorry that I accused you of stealing Coco," Zephyr sighed.

"And...?"

"And for throwing a dodge-ball in your face," Zephyr finished.

"Well, apology accepted," said Vincent. "Did you apologize to Morning Roast?"

"Well, I... no," Zephyr admitted. "She's been avoiding me since that day."

"Maybe I can help you gain her trust," suggested Coco. "Just take it one step at a time."

"Thanks, Coco. And, I promise, when my punishment is over, I'll make our first date a good one." Zephyr and Coco embraced each other tightly.

"Well, Coco has my approval," smiled Song Cue.

* * *

When Zephyr's punishment was finally lifted, the first thing he did was ask Coco to eat with him at the Sweet Shoppe.

"Sometimes, simple things work best, eh Coco?" said Zephyr.

"They do indeed," she smiled, and the two of them tucked into their ice creams.

"Boop!" Coco put a little on Zephyr's nose.

"Hey!" he said.

"Song Cue and Comet do it to each other a lot," she said innocently.

"Do they..." Zephyr did the same thing to Coco. "Boop!" They both blushed and lightly kissed on the cheek.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Torch Song and Toe Tapper are the unnamed Pony Tones from** ** _Filli Vanilli_** **. Coco shares Torch Song's coat while she gets her mane and tail colour from Toe Tapper and her two-tone mane also comes from her mom.**


	39. SOTC11 - Wanderlust

As one plot thread comes to a close, so does another.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 11 - Wanderlust (McCartney, 1982)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **APRIL 20, 2015**

Morning Roast was still not talking to her sister. For the longest time, she thought Moon Dancer loved her crafts and ideas, only to find out she was ashamed of her.

"I wish I had a supportive sister..." she said to Spike and the Young Six. "Why can't Moon Dancer be like you guys?"

"Siblings get into fights sometimes," Silverstream replied. "I know Terramar and I did when we were younger, when we tried to figure out to live with mom or dad."

"I wonder how Skystar dealt with that," Gallus mused to Smolder.

"Indeed," Smolder nodded. "Two gossip twins and her two cousins fighting over to live with their parents."

"It can get a bit hectic sometimes," Silverstream admitted. "But all my relatives do mean well."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Morning Roast.

"I've had a few trivial debates with Gabby," said Gallus. "Sometimes her overexcited behavior sends me up a wall."

"I've never gotten along with my older sister Vignette," said Sandbar. "Left our family before Beach Comb was born."

"I love hanging out with my older cousin Ember, and my little bro Firestorm is becoming a fast learner," said Smolder.

"Yona get into arguments with Harrsion and Holly sometimes, but they mean well," she said. "Yona sure Moon Dancer still loves you, Roast."

"I don't know, Yona," Roast sighed. "At times like this, I wish I were an only child."

"That's pretty harsh," said Spike.

"Indeed," Ocellus agreed. "I couldn't imagine being without Emerald and Ruby, and the thought of not having a cousin like Thorax is terrible. Even Pharynx has his good moments."

* * *

Meanwhile, Moon Dancer was chatting with her friends on the subject.

"I just don't know, guys," she sighed. "I wasn't thinking with my head. I know it's been several months, but I don't know what I'm going to do."

"If siblings are good people, they'll come around," Minuette assured. "My cousin Party Favor and I got into a fight once, and we recovered and are stronger than before."

"Indeed," said Twinkleshine. "Diamond Rose was a bit unfortunate to witness one of my pregnancy mood swings while she was visiting, but she was supportive of me the whole time." By now, she was five months into her pregnancy.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me," said Lemon Hearts. "How have you and Brawly been coping?"

"He's been trying to find a job to earn money for our kid," said Twinkleshine.

"Did he get one yet?" asked Twilight.

"Not yet," said Twinkleshine. "Given his past incidents, it's not easy going."

"Maybe we could help put a good word in for him," Lemon suggested.

"You guys would do that for us?" smiled Twinkleshine. "Thanks!" The friends had a group hug, carefully minding her unborn child.

"I'm sure your child will be wonderful, Twink," Moon Dancer assured. Though she was happy to help her friend, she wished she could help her sister feel better too.

* * *

After school had ended, everyone headed for the station.

"How's Mystic Light?" Twilight asked Comet.

"She's doing great," said Comet. "She's really moving around a lot."

"Oh yes," nodded Song Cue. "We showed her pictures of Thomas and his friends last week, and she started matching the Numberjacks to their own numbers."

"That's cute," said Twilight. "She and Flurry Heart would get along."

"Has she started crawling yet?" asked Saffron.

"She's only two months old," said Twilight. "Not old enough to start crawling on her own. However, she's shown an interest in playing a bear game with me."

"Aww! How cute!" Comet gushed. "We have to show Mystic."

"Are you sure you can handle her?" asked Blossomforth.

"What do you mean?" asked Comet.

"I mean, you have school to tend to on top of taking care of the baby," said Blossomforth. "Are you sure is isn't too much?"

"Song Cue's family is helping us," insisted Comet. "Not too much if you ask me. Besides, I want to prove I can be the dad my dad never was to me." Morning Roast had overheard Comet's comment about his dad.

"Moon Dancer always said Top Marks was a lousy father," she said.

"How can any person not love their child?" asked Smolder. "That's just cruel."

"My uncle and aunt barely cared for me," said Spike. "Not helping was how cruel Garble was."

"What about your parents?" asked Ocellus.

"They died when I was a baby."

"Oh dear..." gasped Silverstream. "Aunt Novo said that my uncle Black Pearl died when Skystar was a few days old."

"Wait, Seaspray's her step-dad?" gasped Morning Roast. "I wouldn't have guessed that."

"I was surprised myself," Silverstream put in. "But Seaspray treats Skystar just the same as Haven and Selina. It's obvious he doesn't care about genetics."

"Same thing with Page Turner and Cindy," said Roast. "Only Fictionary is Page Turner's biological kid, and Cindy's biological kids are Scootaloo and First Base, yet they treat each other's kids and Vincent and Flash like they were their own from the start."

Vincent was deep in thought when he overheard the comment about his step-parents. His half-siblings were with him.

"You alright, Vincent?" asked Scootaloo.

"Yeah, brother, what's up?" First Base added.

"I was just... thinking about our birth father," Vincent sighed.

"What about him?" asked Scootaloo.

"Flame Barrier..." Vincent felt his voice go dry. "H-he... he's dead."

Scootaloo and First Base's eyes widened with shock.

"He's gone..." gasped Scootaloo. "But why?"

"I heard it last night at home," Vincent explained. "It was on the news." Vincent took a deep breath and this is what he told the twins.

* * *

 **APRIL 19, 2015**

"That was a great dinner," Page Turner was saying to Cindy. They and the kids were leaving the Tasty Treat after having some family bonding time.

"I'll say it was," smiled Cindy. "I think we all had a great time." The two of them gave each other a hug. Although they weren't married, they still agreed to look out for all five of their children.

"We'll see you again sometime soon, right?" asked Fictionary.

"Of course we will," said Scootaloo.

"That's great," grinned Flash. "Bye Scoots, see you slugger."

"See ya," they replied and hugged Page Turner while Flash, Vincent and Fictionary hugged Cindy.

"Love you kids very much," smiled Cindy.

"We love you too," said Fictionary.

"And I love both of you too," said Page Turner.

"We do too," said First Base. "You're the best father we can ask for." On that note, everyone went home.

* * *

Upon arriving home, Page Turner told the kids to get ready for bed and he turned the TV on.

" _Good evening everyone and welcome to Rainbow Falls News. Or... as good as it can be with what this news bulletin is about. We've had someone commit suicide in Rainbow Falls Penitentiary._ "

"Suicide at Rainbow Falls Penitentiary?!" Page Turner cried suddenly, and Flash, Vincent and Fictionary rushed downstairs. It might've been for the best, in hindsight, had they not come downstairs.

" _Early this morning, roughly around 5:00am, Flame Barrier Sentry, was lying dead in his cell. The poor forty-six-year-old man had heard along the grapevine that his ex-girlfriend, Cindy Trent had been getting closer to his ex-wife's widowed husband, Page Turner-Sentry and their family of five were getting along too._ "

"Oh my gosh..." Flash cried. "H-he's gone?!" Vincent didn't know what to say; he just stared at the TV in disbelief.

"Oh no..." Page Turner said quietly. "Why did he do that?"

"I don't know," said Fictionary, sounding rather shaken.

" _Flame was already shaken when he broke up with Cindy, and denounced ever falling in love ever again. Though others tried reaching out to him, it was fruitless. It was worse when he killed Lullaby Strings Sentry-Turner and when he heard Cindy and his kids had moved on and one of them disowned him, he didn't see any further reason to live. Lieutenant Night Light Sparkle and his son Shining Armor Sparkle asked for him to go on probation to reunite with his family, but he turned down because his time in prison wasn't up yet._ "

 _Flame Barrier died... because I disowned him from the family?!_ Vincent felt deeply shaken. _What have I done?!_

Page Turner, Fictionary and Flash saw Vincent's mortified expression and hugged him tightly.

* * *

 **APRIL 20, 2015**

The twins gave looks of horror.

"He killed himself?!" cried Scootaloo.

"Sadly," said Vincent. "I was so distraught I felt like I was responsible for his death. I even had to speak with Principal McCracken that morning..."

* * *

 **EARLIER THAT MORNING**

Following the tragic news, Vincent decided to have a talk with Celestia.

"Vincent?" she asked worriedly. "What's up?"

"Principal McCracken..."

"It's okay for you to call me Celestia, Vincent."

"Right," sighed Vincent. "Anyway, you know how I found out about mine, Flash's and the twins' birth father being Flame Barrier?"

"Yes, I do," said Celestia. "Why are you bringing this up?"

"Because... he killed himself yesterday during early morning," Vincent explained sadly. "And part of the reason... was because I disowned him."

Celestia put her hand to her mouth in shock.

"Bless me..." she quivered. "Surely not!"

"I couldn't believe it either," said Vincent, "but now I feel guilty for what I've done. Not only that, I didn't even bother trying to know him..." Celestia gave Vincent a hug.

"I'm sure it wasn't just you which pushed him to... that," Celestia said quietly. "Suicide is a very extreme thing." By now, Vincent was quietly crying. Celestia didn't say anything else; she just let Vincent get everything out. Just then, the bell had gone.

"Vincent," said Celestia, "I'll let your teacher know you're late. Do you want to get some water before class?"

"Yes, ma'am." Celestia watched Vincent go.

"He needs time and space..." she said to herself.

* * *

 **RIGHT NOW**

"I feel a bit guilty myself," said First Base.

"How so?" asked Vincent.

"I called Page Turner the best dad I could ask for," First Base said, "and yet, I didn't give Flame a chance."

"I guess we and Flash and Fictionary are in the same boat," sighed Scootaloo. Morning Roast had overheard the Sentry siblings.

"Oh my..." she thought. "I wonder if mom has spoken with Flame Barrier or Lullaby Strings."

Morning Roast went into a quiet area of the train to reflect.

"Mother, are you there?" she asked; to everybody else, she was alone.

" _Hello, my baby girl,_ " her mother greeted. " _How are you?_ "

"Oh, mother," Roast sighed. "We've had quite a few troubles lately. Have you seen someone named Flame Barrier up there?"

" _I've seen a man with dark blue hair and green eyes,_ " she replied, " _and he seems tense around Lullaby Strings._ "

"That must be Flame Barrier," Morning Roast concluded.

" _Lullaby did mention he was her husband once,_ " her mother said. " _And there was something along the lines of thinking he died so she fell in love with Page Turner._ "

"Flame Barrier is dead because he... committed suicide," Morning Roast explained sadly. "He felt family ties were beyond repair."

Morning Roast's mother gasped. " _That's awful,_ " she said quietly. " _No one should ever take their life like that._ "

"Do you think Moon Dancer's and my relationship is beyond repair?" asked Morning Roast in a hurt voice.

" _What makes you say that?_ " asked her mother.

"Well... during cooking class one day, Zephyr called my carrot earrings dumb, and... Moon Dancer didn't defend me," Morning Roast sighed. "That gave me the impression she was ashamed of me."

" _Roast..._ " said her mother. " _I may not be able to talk to Moon Dancer as you do with me, but I can see she regrets what she's done. She's a good person, unlike Top Marks and most of Comet's siblings._ "

"What should I do next?" asked Morning Roast.

" _Try talking things over with her,_ " her mother said. " _It will do you both some good, trust me._ "

"I will try," said Morning Roast. "Could you also try to get Flame on speaking terms with Lullaby Strings?"

" _Of course I will,_ " smiled her mother.

"Thank you, mother," Roast said softly. "I love you."

" _I love you too, sweetheart._ " Her mother seemed to fade back into the afterlife.

* * *

Later on, Twilight, Spike and Moon Dancer got to the former two's house where Twilight Velvet, Cadance and Flurry Heart were.

"Hi mom, Cadance, Flurry," greeted Twilight, tickling Flurry under her chin. The baby giggled as she took hold of her aunt's finger.

"You two are already top aunt and niece material," said Moon Dancer.

"She's the best niece ever," Twilight giggled, and Flurry grabbed one of the toy bears on the rug and pretended one of her hands was a paw.

"What brings you down here, Cadance?" asked Spike.

"Shining and Night Light are working later than usual today," she explained. "They have two cases on their hands."

"What are they?" asked Moon Dancer.

"One's regarding a woman named Chrysalis and how she abused her kids," said Twilight Velvet. Cadance winced at the mention of the name Chrysalis.

"You know her, Cadance?" asked Spike.

"My father did," said Cadance. "Chrysalis had an obsession with him and wanted to force him into a marriage. But of course, dad was in love with my mom." Everyone winced at the thought, even baby Flurry.

"And what's the other case?" asked Twilight.

"It's Top Marks," said her mother. "Your father says they should have tackled this a lot sooner."

"Why didn't they?" asked Twilight.

"I guess other police officers had more 'important' cases to tend to." Twilight Velvet put it in air-quotes. "Luckily, my husband stayed loyal to the case."

"I'm glad to hear that," said Moon. Suddenly, she felt her phone ring. She was surprised to find out who was calling her.

"Morning Roast?" she answered it and put the phone to her ear. "H-hello?"

" _Moon Dancer, it's good to hear from you,_ " said Morning Roast steadily. The older sister almost thought she'd cry.

" _I'm sorry we let ourselves drift like this._ " Morning Roast sounded like she was about to tear up too.

"No, Roast," said Moon. " _I'm_ sorry. I should have stood up for you when Zephyr said those things."

" _Do you think my ideas are... dumb?_ " asked Roast quietly. There was a pause for a moment, and Moon considered her words.

"Roast, I never said this out loud, but I actually find your ideas very creative. Those bracelets, earrings, necklaces, whatever they are, I wouldn't have come up with things like that."

" _Y-you really think that?_ " Roast stammered.

"I do."

Morning Roast let out a quiet sniffle as she heard that. " _T-Thank you._ "

"It's alright, sis," said Moon Dancer.

" _How are things at Twilight's?_ " Roast asked.

"Pretty good," Moon Dancer explained. "Twilight and I often did homework together, read books in our spare time and Spike's also a good brother figure. Although," she admitted, "I've greatly missed you and dad a lot."

" _I've missed you too,_ " said Roast, " _and so has dad. He says things haven't really been the same without you around._ "

"Well, I guess I'll go back," said Moon Dancer. Flurry looked up at Moon Dancer with puppy dog eyes.

"Well... maybe at the end of the week."

" _Let me guess, Flurry, Cadance and Shining are there?_ " Roast chuckled.

"Shining's on duty right now," said Moon Dancer.

" _Really, do you know what he's looking into?_ "

"Some lady called Chrysalis as well as Comet's dad Top Marks."

Morning Roast gasped. " _Do you really think Top Marks will be caught?_ "

"I don't know," said Moon Dancer. Morning Roast felt determined.

" _Maybe we can help Shining and Night Light get to the bottom of this._ "

"That sounds tricky," Moon said quietly. "But... I guess we could try."

Morning Roast wondered if Mystic Light (Comet's mother, not the baby) knew anything that could have led to Comet being neglected.

* * *

That evening, Morning Roast went to bed as usual.

"How can we get Top Marks?" she asked herself as she fell asleep.

* * *

 _In her dream, Morning Roast came across her mother. This wasn't unusual for the teenage girl, but what was unusual was that her mother was with a woman with blue hair and light blue eyes. The woman wore some light pink clothes and black shoes._

 _"Mother," asked Morning Roast, "who's this with you?"_

 _"Morning Roast, I'd like you to meet Mystic Light," replied her mother. "Mystic Light, I'd like you to meet my younger daughter, Morning Roast."_

 _"Hello."_

 _"A pleasure to meet you, Morning Roast," greeted Mystic Light. "Your mother's been telling me you're friends with my son, Comet Tail."_

 _"That I am indeed," replied Roast._

 _"I'm so glad he's made such supportive friends since middle school," Mystic said quietly. "Top Marks and most of his siblings made kindergarten and elementary school so difficult for him."_

 _"Why would Top Marks and Comet's siblings do that?" asked Morning Roast. "Is it because Comet's the youngest?"_

 _"No..." admitted Mystic Light. "It's a lot more complicated than that."_

 _"How so?" Morning Roast asked curiously._

 _"Morning Roast... It's a long story, but the short version..." Mystic Light paused for a moment. "I... had an affair with another man."_

 _"You mean... that man, whoever he is, is Comet's dad?"_

 _Mystic Light nodded. "When Top Marks was being distant, this other man kept me warm, safe, loved... And then one night, it happened."_

 _"I think I can guess what happened next," said Roast._

 _"Top Marks wasn't impressed," sighed Mystic. "Before Comet's father could meet him, Top Marks dragged me and the other kids to Rainbow Falls."_

 _"Oh my..." gasped Morning Roast. "I'm so sorry, Mystic Light."_

 _"And I didn't know this until after I got up here but... Top Marks was determined to not loose me to another man," sighed Mystic._

 _"What'd he do?"_

 _"Did Comet tell you about a house fire?" asked Mystic._

 _"He did," said Roast._

 _"He also said one of his siblings set the fire," Mystic Light went on, "but that was impossible. Cayenne, Neon Lights, Electric Sky and Lyra were in high school, and Rare Find was in college with Shooting Star."_

 _"So that means... Top Marks started the fire!" Morning Roast exclaimed._

 _Mystic Light nodded sadly. "Afraid so. I would have told Comet myself, but I'm not sure if he'd believe me."_

 _"I'll tell him for you, Mystic Light," Roast assured. "Don't you worry."_

 _"Thank you, Roast," smiled Mystic weakly, and gave her a hug. But the hug didn't last very long as she and Morning Roast's mom started to fade._

* * *

Morning Roast woke up suddenly as her alarm went off.

"I have to find Comet, quick." Morning Roast quickly got ready for school, grabbed her bag and kissed her dad on the cheek before rushing frantically to the station.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Rachel: Most of the names of the Young Six's relatives were made up by me.**

 **If** ** _anyone_** **is considering suicide, stop and please get any help you can. Remember, you are NEVER alone.**


	40. SOTC12 - Don't Go Where the Road Don't

We get closer and closer to the ending of _Song of the Comet_...

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 12 - Don't Go Where the Road Don't Go (Starr, 1992)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

 **APRIL 20, 2015**

"Are you sure you can handle her?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you have school to tend to on top of taking care of the baby. Are you sure is isn't too much?"

"Song Cue's family is helping us. Not too much if you ask me. Besides, I want to prove I can be the dad my dad never was to me."

"Come now, Comet," said Saffron comfortingly. "You and Song Cue are doing a wonderful job with Mystic."

"Thanks, Saffron," said Comet. "Besides, Mystic's also got the care of her 'uncle' Orange and 'aunts' Heartsong and you."

"You think of me as an 'aunt' for Mystic?" asked Saffron.

"Yeah, I do," said Comet.

"You've been by my house nearly every night since Mystic came," Song Cue smiled. "It fits too well."

* * *

The five teenagers got home to find Flutter Butter on the couch with Mystic Light watching _Numberjacks_ again. It was the episode _Data Day_ and Mystic giggled in excitement.

"Oh, it's one of Three's missions," Song Cue chuckled. "No wonder she's excited."

"Come on, Mystic," said Comet. "It's time for your bottle."

Mystic pointed at the TV and gave him puppy eyes.

"Oh, okay," said Comet. "When this episode is over." Mystic gave an eager nod as her "aunts", "uncle" and "parents" sat to watch with her. She then crawled over to sit in Comet's lap.

"I love you, Mystic," Comet cooed, giving her a kiss on the forehead. After the episode was over, Mystic was fed.

"Oh, good gumdrops!" Song Cue exclaimed as she looked at her calendar. "I'm getting behind on my homework schedule."

"You've been able to keep on top of it when Mystic came in," said Orange.

"That was earlier on in the school year," Song Cue explained. "Now we're roughly two months from graduation. Maybe Blossomforth had a point..."

"I've been getting a bit behind myself," said Heartsong. "End of the year reports will be coming up for us too."

"We can do this, guys," said Comet. "We can just do our homework while Mystic is down for her nap."

But there was one issue; Mystic didn't look sleepy at all.

"Oh... shoot." Mystic just babbled excitedly and was playing with a plush dog that Song Cue bought for her.

"Come on, Mystic," said Song Cue gently. "Time for your nap."

Before she could pick her up, Mystic crawled away.

"Oh dear," sighed Saffron. "Come on, guys, let's try and catch her." But even for a baby, Mystic was too quick for them.

"Come on, Mystic," said Orange. "Nap time." Her response was throwing a pillow at him. "How'd she manage to do that?" Though, admittedly, the pillow didn't get very high. Mystic giggled and raced off.

"Mystic," called Heartsong, "I got your favorite book." Heartsong was sitting down with the _Numberjacks_ book in one hand, hoping Mystic would sit and look at it with her. What happened instead was Mystic started tickling Heartsong's arm.

"Mystic!" Heartsong cried. "Stop it."

"Such a cheeky baby," Comet noted. Mystic gave another giggle and raced off with the book. The baby continued crawling but then gave a sleepy yawn.

"Come now, Mystic," Saffron gently picked her up. "Let's get you to sleep." By now, the baby was too tired to protest. Mystic was placed into her crib and Song Cue placed her plush dog in the crib with her.

"There you are," Comet tucked Mystic under her blanket. "Nice and cozy."

"Right," Heartsong said quietly. "Comet, Saffron, you bought your homework here, correct?"

"We did," said Comet.

"Okay, let's work on it together."

The five sat down and got stuck into it.

"We'll probably be working on it till next morning," said Orange. "Mystic really keeps us on our toes."

"She does..." Song Cue trailed off.

"Yeah, but we can do this," Comet put in. "We've been giving Mystic so much love and affection."

"I know we have, Comet," Song Cue chose her words carefully. "But we've been away for several hours each week, five days a week, and haven't been able to care for her."

"What are you trying to say?" asked Comet.

"Comet, I love Mystic," Song Cue admitted, "but we've bitten off more than we can chew."

"Your parents are helping during the day when we're at school," Comet argued.

"That's true," said Song Cue, "but they also do work from home. Taking care of babies is a 24-hour job, Comet."

"So what you're saying is, we straight up abandon her?!"

"What?!" Song Cue was horrified. "No! I'm saying we should find someone who isn't in school so they can care for her around the clock."

Comet wasn't in the mood to listen to his girlfriend's reasoning. He wanted to be the father Top Marks could never be. But he felt that with Song Cue now against the idea of raising Mystic, he couldn't do that here. Without saying a word, Comet left the room.

"Comet..." trailed Song Cue in shock.

* * *

 **APRIL 21, 2015**

The following morning at the station, Song Cue, Orange, Heartsong and Saffron gave each other anxious looks as well as to other students there.

"Has anyone seen Comet or Mystic?" asked Song Cue.

"Not since yesterday," said Vincent, still in a bit of shock from learning about Flame Barrier's suicide.

"I tried Comet's phone number and he didn't answer," Song Cue went on frantically. "Mystic's also gone from her crib. Mom and dad are on the lookout but..." She broke into tears. "I don't know where they are."

"Have you tried Shooting Star's number?" suggested Twilight. "Comet often listens to him."

Song Cue grabbed her phone and rang. The phone only rang once before Shooting Star picked up.

" _Hello?_ " he asked through the phone.

"Hello, Shooting Star," Song Cue sighed. "Look, Comet and baby Mystic had gone missing this morning. I don't know where they've gone."

Shooting Star nearly dropped his phone in disbelief. " _Both of them?! But why would he do that?_ "

"I... kinda said that Mystic was becoming too much responsibility because we were close to graduation," Song Cue explained.

" _I can't deny it is coming close,_ " Shooting Star admitted. " _But with the way Top Marks had treated Comet, can you blame him?_ "

"No, I suppose not," said Song Cue.

" _I'll see if I can find him,_ " said Shooting Star. " _You just keep your phone nearby and I'll call if something happens._ "

"Okay, Shooting Star," said Song Cue. She hung up and told her friends what happened, just as Morning Roast came into the station.

"I need to talk with Comet!" she exclaimed.

"He's run off," Heartsong sighed. "And with baby Mystic Light."

"He's run o- Drat!" cried Roast. "I had something important I wanted to tell him about!"

"What is it, sis?" asked Moon Dancer.

"I... I had a dream last night," Morning Roast said to her older sister.

"A... dream?" wondered Sunny Daze. "But dreams are just stories you have when your sleeping."

"It wasn't just a story," explained Morning Roast.

"What was it about, Roast?" asked Spike.

"Well, mother introduced me to Comet's mother, and she said..." Roast paused for a moment. "Top Marks started the fire which killed her."

"A-are you sure, Morning Roast?" stammered Scootaloo. "That's a strong accusation to make."

"And how can we even prove this true?" asked First Base.

"We'll have to get to the bottom of this," said Moon Dancer. "But even if no one else believes this... I do." Morning Roast hugged her sister tightly.

"I think we have to pay a visit to Comet's house after school," Twilight said firmly.

"Right then, Twilight," said Song Cue. It was no secret among her friends that most of Comet's family made her skin crawl.

* * *

Comet, meanwhile, had taken Mystic and put her in the stroller.

"It's alright, Mystic," he whispered. "I'm here for you." But Mystic was feeling very confused. Where were her mommy, aunties and uncle at? She started to whimper.

"Easy, little one," he said gently. "We'll go somewhere where we won't be separated." Poor Mystic started sobbing.

"Oh, Mystic..." Comet took her out of the stroller and hugged her. Little did either of them realize they were right outside the Tasty Treat, and Coriander had seen them outside the window.

"That's strange," Coriander mused to himself. "It's Tuesday, but shouldn't Comet be at school right now?" He went outside to take a look.

"Oh, Coriander," Comet jumped when he saw the man who ran the restaurant.

"What brings you all the way out here, and with little Mystic?" asked Coriander worriedly.

"It's a long story," sighed Comet.

"Why don't you take a seat in here and tell me about it?" Coriander said gently. Comet and Mystic went into the restaurant and found an empty table. Coriander went to get a high chair for Mystic.

"Now tell me, Comet," Coriander put a hand on Comet's shoulder when they were seated. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, Coriander," Comet sighed, "at the start of the school year, Song Cue and I agreed to look after Mystic. And... then this talk of graduation came up and Song Cue started to believe that the work was too much."

"Is that why you took Mystic with you?" asked Coriander.

Comet nodded sadly. "I didn't want to leave her, as my father has done. Top Marks is just horrible to me, and most of my siblings are no better."

Coriander seemed silent for a moment, as if he knew something Comet did not. Eventually, he spoke up.

"Comet, I had my doubts about being a father too."

"You did?" asked Comet.

Coriander nodded. "I was married to a friend I had called Cinnamon Chai. But, it turned out that was just a desperate attempt to find love again after my first relationship ended tragically. Cinnamon Chai was stressed with our marriage and left when Saffron was a baby."

"How did you manage raising Saffron?"

"I got a friend of mine to babysit her while I was working," Coriander explained. "Back then, I just worked in small cafe. And... if you truly love your child, you'd want to know what's best for them."

"Well, Saffron is certainly well raised," smiled Comet. "And... oh... I think I really messed up."

Just then, Comet, Mystic and Coriander saw someone with blue hair and eyes rush in.

"Coriander, have you seen- oh, Comet, Mystic, there you are!"

"Shooting Star!" exclaimed Comet. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you and Mystic," Shooting Star replied. "What are you doing here?"

"I had an argument with Song Cue over Mystic Light," he explained.

"Song Cue, her siblings, her parents, Saffron and I have been worried sick," Shooting Star told his brother.

"I know," Comet sighed. "I didn't answer Song Cue's call this morning."

"I'll call her now," said Shooting Star. Comet looked at the clock.

"Brunch has just started," he said, and Shooting Star rang up.

" _Shooting Star?"_ asked Song Cue. " _Any luck?_ "

"I found him at the Tasty Treat," he said.

" _And Mystic?_ "

"Her too."

Song Cue breathed a sigh of relief. " _I'm glad they're both okay._ "

"As am I," said Shooting Star.

" _Indeed. Will Comet be coming up to school today? Principal McCracken and his teacher in first period were anxious._ "

"Oh... I didn't think of that," said Comet sheepishly.

"I'll take you up," said Shooting Star. "And we'll drop off Mystic at the Cues' on the way."

"Thanks, Shooting Star. And Coriander?" Comet gave him a hug. "Thanks for that advice."

"It's alright, Comet." Coriander playfully ruffled Comet's hair.

 _Is this what fatherly love feels like?_ Comet wondered.

Comet took Mystic from her high chair and they and Shooting Star left the Tasty Treat. Mystic gave a wave to Coriander.

* * *

By the time Comet got to school, the next class had begun; astronomy. He shared this class with Twilight.

"Where were you?" asked Twilight.

"Long story short, I was being a bit foolish," Comet admitted. "I sort of let my heart overrule my head."

"Well, Song Cue will be glad to see you at break," Twilight smiled.

"Comet!" Song Cue tightly hugged her boyfriend. "You're okay!"

"Yes, I'm okay," laughed Comet. "It's not like I'm missing an eye or anything. And Mystic is at your house with your parents."

"Thank goodness you're both okay," said Song Cue.

"Where did you go?" asked Saffron.

"The Tasty Teat," said Comet.

"Did you run into my father?"

"Yeah," replied Comet. "He gave me some real comfort before Shooting Star found me and Mystic."

"That's real nice of him," said Orange. "It sounds like he is more of a father than Top Marks."

"I wish he was my real dad," Comet sighed. "How nice would that have been growing up."

"Speaking of your dad, Morning Roast gave us a message at the train station this morning," Orange remembered.

"What was it?" asked Comet.

"She believes Top Marks started the fire which killed your mother," Orange explained.

"Dad did that?!" Comet cried. "Well... now that I think about it, most of my siblings were in high school and Rare Find was in college with Shooting Star. Why would he start a fire?"

"We don't have solid proof he did that," Fluttershy put in. "But we are going to your house for an investigation later."

* * *

After school, Song Cue, Comet Tail, Orange, Fluttershy, Twilight, Moon Dancer, Morning Roast, Saffron and Vincent all went over to Comet's house.

"Whoa!" gasped Song Cue. "Quite a large house."

"I think it'd have to be if you live with six siblings and one parent," said Vincent.

"Song Cue, you've known Comet for how long and haven't come here?" asked Roast.

"At least three and a half years," said Song Cue.

"Probably a good thing you've never come here," said Comet.

"It's not exactly a welcome mat," Twilight sighed.

"You've been here before?" asked Vincent.

"Well, back when Lyra was friends with myself, Moon Dancer, Lemon Hearts, Minuette and Twinkleshine, we'd come here," said Twilight. "But she would only invite us over whenever she was sure Comet wasn't home."

"That'd sound like Lyra," muttered Comet.

They got to the front and Comet was relieved when Shooting Star was the one who answered the door.

"Hey, Comet," Shooting Star greeted. "Whoa, you hardly, though understandably, ever bring your friends over here. What's up?"

"It's kind of to do with my dad," Comet explained.

"Shooting Star," Twilight spoke, "I don't know if you know this, but my dad and brother are on a case for Top Marks due to child neglect."

"Twilight, you don't know how relieved I am to hear that," Shooting Star sighed. He gestured for everyone to come in.

"You're in luck," he said. "Rare Find and Neon Lights are on dates with their girlfriends, and Cayenne, Electric and Lyra are having a girls' day at the spa."

"Thank goodness for that," muttered Moon Dancer. "I couldn't bear facing Lyra again..."

"I think the same can be said for all of us," Song Cue grunted in agreement. Just then, everyone heard footsteps coming in.

"Shooting Star," a voice said firmly, "did you invite guests?"

"No, but I did... 'father'," said Comet, with a hint of venom in his tone as he addressed Top Marks.

"Comet, you're usually with your friends everywhere but here," Top Marks sounded slightly surprised. "Why the sudden change?"

"Because..." Comet thought about how to word what he was about to say next. "It's about mother."

"She's long since dead, Comet," Top Marks said quietly.

"I know," Comet said firmly, "and I just heard that the fire she died in was caused... by you!"

"W-Where did you get a crazy idea like that?" stammered Top Marks.

"I spoke to Mystic Light," Morning Roast said firmly.

"But how? She's dead!"

"Let's just say, my sister has a gift," Moon Dancer said proudly.

"That's impossible," snapped Top Marks. "No one can speak to the dead! Only a crazy person would do that!"

"At least it doesn't harm anyone," Song Cue retorted. "Why did you set the house on fire?"

"I... ugh, fine. I _did_ set the house on fire!" he cried. "But it didn't exactly go to plan. I was hoping for both Mystic Light and I to die in the fire together so I wouldn't lose her to another man!"

"That's insane logic," snapped Orange. "From what Comet told us of Mystic, she wouldn't cheat on you."

"He thought wrong!" snapped Top Marks. "She had an affair with another man. And it resulted in Comet Tail."

Everyone - sans Morning Roast and Shooting Star - were in deep shock.

"So, you neglected me for something beyond my control?!" Comet was enraged. "Listen here; I know a few of my friends who have good step-parents. Take Page Turner and Cindy, for instance. Page Turner's only biological child is Fictionary, and Cindy's biological children are Scootaloo and First Base, but do they treat each other's children and Flash and Vincent any different? Not a chance. And Seaspray. We only recently found out he's Skystar's stepdad, but he loves her just as much as Haven Bay and Selina Blue. And adoptive parents too - the Sparkles are this to Spike and the McCrackens are this to Sunset. They have biological children too but they don't care about genetics!"

"Comet's right," nodded Fluttershy. "If they don't care about genetics, why couldn't you?"

"Did they have someone cheat on them, or did they get married after those children were born?" Top Marks retorted.

"That shouldn't matter!" cried Moon Dancer. "You should never neglect a child no matter what their origin!"

"I've gotten away with it for years," Top Marks argued.

Just then, the group heard sirens outside.

"Looks like it's about to reach the end of the line," Vincent smirked.

"Open up!" called Night Light. "R.F.P.D!"

"Don't you dare open that door!" snapped Top Marks as Shooting Star walked over.

"Good afternoon, Officer Sparkle and Shining Armor," Shooting Star said formally as he opened up. "My father is indeed home."

"You knew about this the whole time?!" Top Marks shrieked.

"Actually, Twilight only told me just before you decided to show yourself in the living room," his eldest son said simply. Top Marks thought he would explode with fury; his day had just gone from bad to worse.

"Top Marks, you are under arrest for child neglect," Night Light said firmly.

"And we just found out he started the fire which killed mother," Shooting Star put it.

"He what?!" cried Shining. "Right, dad, we have to add that to his charges too."

"Come on, Top Marks," said Night Light, pulling out the handcuffs. "We're gonna have a long talk down at the station."

"But I have a bunch of kids to care for!" he cried as he was dragged away.

"They're not kids anymore, are they?" retorted Shining Armor. "Surely they can take care of themselves?"

"Comet aside, we're all in university with part-time jobs," Shooting Star explained.

"Sounds like you guys need to become a bit more independent," Shining told Shooting Star.

"I'll ask my boss if I can work longer hours."

With a nod of approval from Shining Armor, Shooting Star went back inside.

"He's gone, my love!" Song Cue embraced her boyfriend. "He can't hurt you anymore."

"Thank goodness for that," smiled Comet.

"But we have a new puzzle," said Saffron. "Who is Comet's real dad?"

"I don't know," Shooting Star sighed. "Mother was pregnant with Comet back in England before giving birth in Rainbow Falls. Comet's dad could still be there."

"Does that mean we're going to England to find him?" asked Morning Roast. "I always wanted to meet Big Ben."

"We may not have to go that far," Saffron realized. "My father and I used to live in England, and he knew quite a few people in the area, working in a local cafe."

"Maybe he'll have an idea who Comet's dad is," said Vincent. "Let's go down to the Tasty Treat."

So, with Saffron's suggestion, everyone quickly went down there.

 _I wonder who my dad could be,_ Comet wondered. _I hope he's as loving as Coriander is._


	41. SOTC13 - My Love

The chapter following this one took longer than I anticipated, and for that, I'm sorry we kept you waiting, but wait no longer, for the penultimate chapter is here! Out of all the chapters this sub-volume, this was the only one that was basically a blank slate.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 13 - My Love (McCartney, 1973)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Saffron led her friends to her dad's workplace.

"Ah, hello Saffron," greeted Coriander. "What brings you here? You don't have your shift today."

"I know, father, but my friends and I heard some important news," Saffron replied. "We just found out Top Marks is not Comet's father."

"Long story short," said Shooting Star, "Mystic Light - mine and Comet's mother - was pregnant when she left England and her lover didn't come with her to Rainbow Falls."

Coriander was silent for a moment, as if staring into space.

"I... knew Mystic Light very well when we lived in England," he told the group.

"So you know who the father is?" asked Comet eagerly.

"I think it's best if I started from the beginning," Coriander took a deep breath, remembering back to when he first met Mystic Light in elementary school.

* * *

 **1969 - ENGLAND**

Back in Year 2, Coriander was drawing a picture of some food that his mother liked cooking for dinner.

"I can't wait to be able to make this when I'm older," Coriander said to himself.

A girl just Coriander's age looked over curiously. "Wow!" she gasped. "That looks tasty."

"Thanks," said Coriander.

"My parents don't know how to cook like that," the girl went on. "It's usually just take out or simple meals."

"Maybe my mom could help your parents," suggested Coriander.

"Thank you," smiled the girl. "What is your name, by the way?"

"Coriander Cumin."

"My name is Mystic Light," she smiled. "Pleasure to meet you."

* * *

After school, Coriander and Mystic raced over to the pickup area. Coriander's mother and Mystic's father were waiting.

"Daddy!" cried Mystic. "I made a new friend."

"Hi there," said Coriander, a bit shyly.

"Nice to meet you," greeted Mystic's dad.

"I'm glad to see you've made a new friend," Coriander's mother put in.

"Thanks, mom," said Coriander. Mystic then told her dad about Coriander's offer.

"That's very nice of you, Coriander," Mystic's dad nodded in agreement.

"Thanks, Mr. Light," said Coriander.

* * *

On the weekend, Coriander practically ran downstairs when he heard the doorbell.

"I've got it, dear," his mother called. She opened up to see Mystic with her parents.

"Hi Mrs. Cumin," Mystic greeted.

"Mystic," said Coriander, giving her a hug. "Good to see you."

"Good to see you as well," said Mystic.

"Come in." Coriander's mother gestured for them to come into the kitchen.

"Wow," said Mystic's mother. "What a lovely place."

"Thank you," said Coriander's mother. "I decorated it with things I brought back from when I used to live in Asia."

"Indian, huh?" asked Mystic's dad. "Tasteful."

"The food mom makes is delicious," Coriander said eagerly. Coriander rushed for his mom's recipe book and brought it over.

"Take a look in here," he said. "I'm sure there's something in here that you'll like." Mystic searched through the book.

"Ah, masala dosa looks nice," she smiled.

"That's one of my favorites," Coriander agreed. So that was what they would have for supper.

"This looks fun to make," said Mystic's mother.

"None of you are allergic to any foreign foods, are you?" asked Coriander's mother. "I don't want anyone to end up in hospital by accident."

"Thankfully, we aren't," said Mystic's father.

"That's good to know," said Coriander's mother. Everyone started to get to work.

"You're so lucky to have culture from India, Coriander," said Mystic. "Oh, so many good foods, and this decor is lovely."

"Wait until you hear the music," grinned Coriander.

"I heard from some friends that it's nice," said Mystic, "but I've never experienced it myself."

"I think there's something in the house that I could show you," Coriander told her.

* * *

Later on, everyone was eating their supper.

"I never knew foreign food would be really good," smiled Mystic's dad.

"Your mom's a great cook, Coriander," said Mystic.

"Thanks, Mystic," smiled Coriander. "Maybe when I'm bigger, I may be making these."

"I can certainly teach you, my son," said his mother.

"Oh, mom, maybe after supper we can put some music on," Coriander suggested. "Mystic was a bit curious."

"Of course," she agreed. "We have a few records stashed somewhere."

"Ooh, good!" Mystic grinned. "Which one do you have in mind, Coriander?"

"I was thinking 'Within You Without You'. It's a song by the Beatles," Coriander told her.

"I love that song," Mystic's mom nodded thoughtfully.

After supper, Coriander's mom put the record on, but for some reason, a different song came on. It was the opening guitar from the title track of _Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band_.

"Oh, shoot," said Coriander's mother, stopping the record player. "Had it on the wrong side." Coriander and Mystic's family couldn't help but chuckle at the mistake. Playing music back then wasn't like today; you had to wait a while before the vinyl records could get to a specific song. After Coriander's mother had flipped the record to the correct side, the music began playing again.

"That's better," Coriander's mother said, satisfied. "Now we're right."

When the record found the right song, Mystic was intrigued by it.

"Wow, this song is beautiful," she said quietly.

"Not every day you hear Indian music merged with rock music," agreed Coriander.

"It's a rare find indeed," Mystic agreed. She started dancing in the living room to the music.

"That's pretty good, Mystic," Coriander commented.

"I take dance lessons," she replied. "Want me to show you how?"

"Sure." Mystic began to show Coriander how to do it.

"Whoa!" he cried. "Heh, I have two left feet."

"But I only see one left foot," said Mystic.

"I just mean I'm clumsy," Coriander explained. "Not too good at this."

"You'll get it with practice," Mystic said kindly. "You'll never guess what happened during my first dance lesson."

"What happened?"

"I was so excited to try dancing, I went the wrong way and bumped into another student," Mystic chuckled.

"That is a bit silly," Coriander laughed.

"But I got better," said Mystic. "And now we're friends, we can help each other get better too. I can help you with dancing, and you can help me with cooking."

"It's a deal." Coriander and Mystic gave each other a hug.

* * *

As time went by, Mystic and Coriander remained very close. But as they grew older, Coriander started to gain a bit of a crush on Mystic. And in their time during Year 10, Coriander wanted to ask her to the school dance.

"Do you really think she'd accept?" Coriander asked his friend Cinnamon Chai.

"I hope so," said Cinnamon Chai. "She really is a nice girl."

Mystic came out with her lunch and sat down with her friends.

"Mystic," Coriander said shyly. "Uh... you know this dance that's coming up?"

"What about it?" asked Mystic.

"I... was wondering if... er..." Coriander took a deep breath. "Would you be willing to go with me to the dance?"

"Oh, Coriander," Mystic sighed. "I would love to go with you, but... I've already been asked by someone else."

Coriander felt like his heart tore in two, but he tried to put on a brave face. "I-It's alright," he said weakly. "I know you and your date will have a good time."

 _Poor Coriander,_ Cinnamon thought to herself. _I wish I could help._

* * *

When the night came, Cinnamon Chai and Coriander went to the dance and they saw Mystic dancing with another man.

"Top Marks?" gasped Cinnamon quietly. Top Marks was a teenager who lived with both his parents. He was a bit moody sometimes, but that was because he often missed out on spending time with his dad who was at work most of the time.

"I hope he treats her right," Coriander put in. He watched them dancing; it seemed like Top Marks and Mystic were in perfect sync.

* * *

When at school a few days later, Mystic met up with Coriander and Cinnamon again. She had a sunny expression on her face.

"What's up, Mystic?" asked Cinnamon Chai.

"I had the most wonderful time at the dance on the weekend," she smiled. "Top Marks and I went to the bookstore the following day, and I got a book about outer space."

"Did you read the book yet?" asked Cinnamon.

"Just a quick flick through," Mystic admitted. "Though one page caught my eye." She showed the book she had and found a page on meteors.

"What's so exciting about meteors?" asked Coriander.

"They are actually shooting stars in the sky!" Mystic explained excitedly. "Isn't that amazing?"

"Oh, I see," said Coriander. "It sure is."

"They are just beautiful to look at," sighed Mystic. "Almost lighting up the sky with electricity."

"I'll say they do." This came from Top Marks. "Space is such a fascinating topic."

"I'd love to learn more about space," smiled Mystic.

"There's a science convention coming up," said Top Marks. "Want to go to that?"

"Sure," said Mystic Light.

* * *

At the convention about a week later, Mystic and Top Marks looked around at the solar system.

"Wow, is that would a comet would look like?" gasped Mystic.

"It sure would," Top Marks nodded. "They are really fast and only fly by earth every select number of years."

"So they're like once-in-a-lifetime moments?" asked Mystic.

"Pretty much, Mystic." Top Marks then gently took Mystic's hand, and the two shared an intense gaze.

Since that day, Mystic and Top Marks became closer and closer, and throughout high school, they fell madly in love. Though Coriander was crushed to know Mystic's heart lay elsewhere, he still supported Mystic with his whole heart.

* * *

 **JUNE 1996**

Mystic was now the wife to Top Marks and mother to six children. Shooting Star was nine years old, Rare Find six, Cayenne four, Neon Lights three, and little Electric Sky and Lyra were just babies.

"Mommy," said Rare Find, "where's daddy? He said we'd play catch today."

"I know, Rare Find," Mystic sighed. "Top Marks was just... doing a lot of work today."

"That's not fair," Cayenne whined. "He never play with us!"

"My darling," Mystic hugged her eldest daughter. "I'm sure he'll come around."

* * *

That evening, Mystic was just humming a lullaby to the twins just as she heard the front door open.

"Some employees..." Top Marks muttered as he put his briefcase down. "They can be so difficult."

"You alright, dear?" asked Mystic Light.

"Work was crazy," he sighed. "I sent some employees to get some files from the printer, but instead they were chatting by the water cooler and I had to get them myself. And after I got back to the office, I realized I had the wrong ones!"

"Oh my," said Mystic. "They probably didn't get off easy given what you went through."

"Not by me at least," Top Marks sighed.

"The kids have been wanting to spend time with you," Mystic said. "Do you have a spare moment tomorrow?"

"Mystic, I'm up to my shoulders in jobs to do at work," Top Marks groaned. "With these lazy employees, I'll have to find new ones and that will take time!"

"Oh..." Top Marks went to get ready for bed. He didn't even give Mystic a goodnight kiss.

 _Ever since the twins were born, this has been becoming more and more frequent,_ Mystic thought sadly.

While Top Marks was snoozing, as were the kids, Mystic couldn't sleep that night. Just where had the relationship between her and her husband faltered? During times like this, there was only one person she felt she could talk to.

She found her emergency clothes she had stashed under her spare pillows and silently slipped over to Coriander's place.

"Oh, Mystic," he gasped. "I couldn't sleep." In the past several years, he'd gotten rather stout and was growing out some facial hair.

"I couldn't sleep either, Coriander," she admitted. "That's why I'm here."

Coriander gave a nod and invited her in. He had become used to these frequent visits, even some during the late evening.

"What's happened this time, Mystic?" asked Coriander, sitting her down on the sofa. She recounted to him what had happened. Coriander hugged Mystic close.

"How can Top Marks be married to such a wonderful person like you and not cherish you or the kids?"

"I don't know," said Mystic. "I haven't done anything wrong, have I?"

"Nothing," Coriander assured. "You have been a very caring, loving and supportive person. The kids would be grateful to have a mother like you."

"Thank you, Coriander." Mystic gave a sweet smile and a blush appeared on her face. If she was honest with herself, Coriander had given her more love over the past year or so than her own husband.

"Coriander," Mystic said quietly, "have you ever been in love with someone?"

"I have been for years," he admitted.

"To whom?"

"Well... it's... it's you," Coriander sighed.

"M-me...?" Mystic didn't know what to say to that.

"I knew we could never be," Coriander explained. "You and Top Marks were just so happy together, so... I never said anything."

"We were when Shooting Star came into our lives," said Mystic. "But after five babies, he became more and more distant, leaving me to deal with all six children by myself."

"I'm really sorry you had to deal with that." Coriander hugged her again.

"But, throughout this time, I've also realized something else."

"What is it?"

"You've been there for me in my darkest days," she said. "At first, I thought it was just us being good friends. But now... I realized I've fallen in love with you too."

Coriander was surprised.

"You have?" he gasped. "But... what about Top Marks?"

"I was considering it for a while, and... I want a divorce," Mystic said firmly. "I should've been with you from the start."

Coriander was overwhelmed with happiness. "As soon as the divorce is done, of course I will marry you." Mystic started to feel tired.

"I don't think I'll be able to get back until morning," she said. "You don't mind me crashing in for the night, do you?"

"Of course you can," Coriander agreed. But what he and Mystic didn't realize was that this night may have effected them more than any other moment in their lives.

* * *

The next day, Mystic returned home after a quick trip to the shops.

 _Good thing we were low on bread, milk and bananas,_ she thought.

She got in the house and to her relief, Top Marks had just gotten up.

"Mystic," he said. "Ah, you got the shopping."

"That I have indeed," she replied.

"And you're back just in time," he said. "I've gotta rush to work."

Mystic put the shopping away and tended to her little ones. She also started filing divorce papers during the day. While she was midway through writing, she heard footsteps coming in.

"Mom," called Shooting Star. "I was drawing a picture of the solar system. Do you want to see how far I got?" Mystic was a bit shocked to see her eldest son at this very moment.

"I would love to see it, my son," she replied. "I'm just a bit preoccupied right now."

Shooting Star caught sight of the papers.

"What does 'divorce' mean?"

 _How do I put this delicately?_ Mystic thought to herself. She put her hand on Shooting Star's shoulder. "Well... dad and I haven't exactly been getting along very well lately."

"Why? What's wrong?" asked Shooting Star.

"He's been so focused on work he hasn't..." Mystic paused before sighing, "...been around for you, your siblings or me."

"Oh..." Shooting Star gave a sad look. "So, you and dad aren't in love anymore, and dad doesn't love us?"

Mystic was silent, unsure what to say for a moment. Then she tightly hugged her son.

"Things may not be the same between dad and I," Mystic said, "but no matter what, _I_ still love each and everyone of you. Never forget that, Shooting Star."

"I love you too, mom."

"And Shooting Star?" asked Mystic. "I wouldn't want you to speak to your siblings about this. I want to explain this to them gently at the right time."

"Okay, mom," he said, rushing back to his drawing.

* * *

Some days later, poor Mystic started to feel sick.

"Did you eat something funny, mommy?" asked Cayenne.

"N-no..." she groaned.

"Maybe there's a bug going around," said Rare Find.

"That can't be," said Cayenne. "Bugs go all over the place, and they're icky too."

"A 'bug' is just a word for sickness, Cayenne," Shooting Star explained.

While the kids didn't know what was going on - that was especially true with three-year-old Neon Lights and the baby twins - Mystic Light had gone through this enough times to realize what this meant...

* * *

"You're _pregnant_?!" gasped Top Marks. "But... th-that's impossible."

"It's true," she sighed. "I tested it just to be sure. It was positive."

"But I can't be the father," said Top Marks. "Who...?"

"It's... Coriander," Mystic said slowly.

"I should have guessed!" Top Marks snapped. "I saw him blushing and complimenting you during high school, and it carried on after we graduated." He then saw some papers in the office.

"Divorce papers?!" he cried. "You're planning to leave me for... _him_?!"

"Well, we've become so distant over the years," Mystic explained. "I wanted to talk with you about it but you were either too busy with work or turning in for the night. Coriander has been my friend for years, and it was during this hardship that I finally realized I should have been with him from the start."

"I refuse to go through with this divorce!" he growled. "And when that child of yours is born, they won't be mine! I absolutely refuse to have a Paki for one of my children!"

"You take that back!" Mystic snapped. "If that is how you feel about an innocent child, I am even more certain about the divorce than before!"

Mystic continued to fill the papers out in secret, while Top Marks made other plans.

"There's a job offer in Rainbow Falls," he saw on a flyer. "If we all move there, Mystic can't marry Coriander, can't she?"

"Moving?!" cried Mystic the following day. "What?!"

"I've booked the flight," Top Marks grunted, putting Lyra in one of the booster seats. "We're due to leave at ten."

"Can't I at least say goodbye to Coriander?" asked Mystic.

"We have to leave now," he said firmly, putting Electric Sky in the booster next to Lyra. "The plane waits for no one."

Mystic sadly helped Neon Lights and Cayenne into the car while Rare Find and Shooting Star got in themselves and finally, she and Top Marks got in the front.

"Goodbye, my love..." she said softly as Top Marks drove off.

* * *

 **APRIL 21, 2015**

Everyone's eyes were wide with shock, but none more so than Comet and Saffron.

"So... Saffron," gasped Comet. "You're my... sister?!"

"And I've a brother?!" Saffron exclaimed.

"And you..." Comet had a tear of joy running down his eyes as he looked at Coriander. "You're my father." Comet hugged both Coriander and Saffron close.

"I can't believe my true family has been laying in plain sight all this time!" he said quietly.

"What's that make me, then?" Shooting Star joked. "Chopped liver?"

"Come on, big brother," Saffron quickly pulled him into the hug too. "You've been supportive of Comet the whole time."

"More like step-brother," said Shooting Star. "We don't have the same mother and father."

"Like that matters," Saffron smiled. "I'm happy I have two people I can call my siblings."

"And I'm happy to finally have a sister and father who care about me," added Comet.

"Comet," said Saffron after a pause, "our house does have a spare room. Would you like to move to our place?"

"You don't mind, do you, Shooting Star?" asked Comet.

"I think this is a wonderful idea," Shooting Star agreed. "I'll help move your stuff over."

"And we can too," Song Cue put in quickly. "The sooner you're out of that toxic household, the better."

Everyone was eager about the idea, even Vincent, but he had been unusually silent and looked down at the floor.

"Vincent..." Twilight put a hand on his shoulder. "What's up?"

"Just... thinking..."

"What about?" asked Fluttershy.

"Comet's going to get the chance to know about his birth father," said Vincent, "and I... never will with Flame Barrier..."

"My mother is trying to get Flame and Lullaby talking to each other," Morning Roast spoke, hoping that may cheer Vincent up a little. He didn't say anything to that.

"Er... never mind."

"You think it's possible that those who've experienced at least one family tragedy can speak to their spirits?" asked Moon Dancer.

"I think they can," Morning Roast nodded.

"Well, you hold that thought, Roast," Orange said. "We gotta help Comet with his move."

* * *

Everyone went back to Comet's house to help him pack. (Coriander had told his co-workers what was going on and they completely understood.) While they were packing things into boxes, the other siblings arrived home.

"Hey, what's with the boxes?" asked Rare Find. "Spring cleaning?"

"Not just spring cleaning," said Shooting Star.

"I'm moving away," Comet announced.

"Oh, you're moving aw- what?!" gasped Lyra.

"You heard him correctly," snapped Song Cue.

"I just found my _real_ father and a sister who actually _cares_ about me," Comet said firmly.

"Were we not good enough?" snapped Lyra. "We all cared for you!"

"Then where were you when I was crying myself to sleep?" growled Comet. "Where was the support in kindergarten and school? When had you ever asked me to hang out with you at the park or ice-cream shop or other gatherings?"

"I... we all had other things to do!" she retorted.

"What kind of sister, or brother for that matter, isn't there for their siblings?!" snapped Twilight.

"You guys had one chance," Fluttershy said crossly. "You either could have changed your behavior, or stay as stuck up as you already were. You chose the latter."

"Who asked for your opinion, you dirty hippie?" retorted Lyra. "Always stuck in a forest with those dumb little creatures you call friends."

"No one says that to _my_ cousin!" Song Cue jumped on her. It almost looked like something out of _Warrior Cats_.

"I swear, out of all of Comet's 'siblings', you're the worst of the bunch," she hissed. "You tried to ruin my music gift for Comet, you accepted an offer to the Formal which ruined Coco's chances of happiness, and you now call my cousin names!"

"She's right," Comet agreed. "I could never be more glad to be out of here. Even with Top Marks arrested, this place is still a toxic dark forest."

"Our father arrested?" asked Lyra. "That's not possible!"

"Yep," said Twilight proudly. "Dad and Shining got him."

"He did nothing to deserve it!" snapped Lyra. "He's been wrongly arrested!"

"Child neglect is indeed a crime," Shooting Star said firmly. "I've never been more ashamed to have a father like Top Marks and siblings like you! In fact..." He paused for effect. "My girlfriend Emily Tempest asked me if I'd like to move in with her in her flat. Since Comet is also moving out, I agreed."

"Well, where does that leave us?!" asked Rare Find.

"You five are on your own," Orange chuckled.

Once both Comet and Shooting Star's things were packed, everyone departed, leaving Rare Find, Cayenne, Neon Lights and the twins seething with rage.

* * *

Comet quickly settled at his new home, and Coriander and Saffron started to show him how to cook their family recipes.

"This spicy flat noodle soup is one of our favorites," said Coriander. "It was one of the first recipes my mother taught me."

"It smells good already, father," Comet smiled.

"Now, next we put in..." He glanced at the book, then the bench. "Where'd that spice jar go?"

"I think I know where it's hidden," Comet smirked. He looked behind the bread basket.

"Unusual place for a spice jar, isn't it Saffron?"

"How'd you know it was there?"

"Lucky guess," Comet chuckled. "I'd sometimes hide food I didn't like from my mother too."

* * *

At their flat, Shooting Star felt more content than he'd ever been in his whole life.

"Oh, Emily," he sighed. "I'm so happy my brother finally has a father and sister he deserves."

"I'm glad to hear that too, Shooting Star," Emily replied, placing her hand on his shoulder. "And it sounds like you found a new father and sister too."

"I sure have," Shooting Star smiled. "And I will keep in touch with them. It's a relief to be away from my other siblings and father."

"I guess we have both been through hardships with families, huh?" Emily nodded.

"We have indeed, my dear." But, as they had found out, hardships can be what bring friends, lovers and families together.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **"Paki" is a racial slur used to refer to someone from Pakistan or South Asia by birth or descent living in the United Kingdom during the 1960s-80s. Queen frontman Freddie Mercury was among the people who received this discrimination.**

 **When Comet says the house is a toxic "dark forest", that's** ** _Warrior Cats_** **talk for hell.**


	42. SOTC14 - Give Peace a Chance

Well, here we go with the final chapter of Song of the Comet, as well as the last (at least, in the present day) to take place majorly at Canterlot High. This was a tricky one to write up, but I hope the end result was worth it.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 3 -** ** _Song of the Comet_**

 **Chapter 14 - Give Peace a Chance (Lennon, 1969)**

 **Written by Zack Wanzer and Rachel/TobyandMavisforever**

Comet felt better than he ever did in his life since he found out his true heritage.

"I never knew I had a father and sister who would love me right away," he was saying at school to his friends. "Finding them is a dream come true."

"I'm so happy we found each other, Comet," smiled Saffron. "Better late than never."

"Scoots, Fic, Vincent, Flash and I know the feeling," First Base agreed. "Scoots and I never knew we had three other siblings and a step-dad out there, and we are getting closer each day." Once again, Vincent was feeling down. The group winced when they saw their friend's/brother's expression. Comet felt guilty.

"Sorry, mate," he sighed.

"No, it's not you," said Vincent. "It's more to do with me..."

"What's up?" asked Song Cue. "Is this about... Flame?"

"Yeah..." Vincent sighed heavily.

"It... would have been nice to get to know him," First Base said quietly.

"What's done is done," Twilight sighed. "We can't turn back time."

"If only I hadn't said what I said to him..."

"There are things people regret all the time," Song Cue said quietly. "There are things I wish I could have done differently with Rocky Ripple."

"It's just wishful thinking at this point," Orange sighed. "I guess we're kinda in the same boat, Vincent."

"Except your brother's alive and my father's dead," said Vincent.

"Well, Rocky Ripple has gone too far to come back," Song Cue told him. "Even if we tried to allow him back into the family, he'd just refuse."

* * *

The rest of the day was uneventful and in the evening, Vincent was ready for bed.

 _I wonder what life would have been like... if I had given Flame Barrier a chance,_ Vincent thought to himself. He lay in his bed and fell asleep. Vincent then began dreaming.

* * *

 _"Whoa! Where am I?"_

 _"You're sleeping, silly," said a female voice. It was a voice Vincent hadn't heard since... the car accident._

 _"M-mom...? My birth mom, that is..."_

 _"That's right, my son." Lullaby came over and hugged Vincent tight._

 _"You have a lot on your mind, don't you, Vincent?" asked Lullaby._

 _"I do," said Vincent._

 _"We all make mistakes, my son," Lullaby said quietly. "I know I have."_

 _"I'm just wondering what would have happened if I had accepted Flame Barrier," Vincent admitted. "He was the one responsible for your death; I was so angry with him and hated him because of that. I let it cloud my judgement..."_

 _"I know he was," Lullaby sighed. "But since loosing Cindy... Flame was depressed and that lead him to being drunk."_

 _"If we met him sooner we may have fixed this..." Vincent started to imagine what that would be like._

* * *

 _The dream seemed to take him into the past. It seemed to be shortly after he helped Sunset escape her demons. Vincent was heading home after suggesting he and Sunset could see a movie._

 _"Hopefully Blossomforth won't ruin our movie date," Vincent said to himself._

 _But as he walked, Vincent caught sight of a dark-blue haired man on a walk down the street._

 _"Hey," he called to the man. "Are you lost or something?"_

 _"Yeah, I am actually," the man replied. "I just recently moved back here and I've kinda forgotten where the nearest grocery store is."_

 _"Moved back here?" asked Vincent. "You mean you've lived here before?"_

 _"Yes," the man replied. "It's... hard for me to talk about."_

 _"I understand," Vincent said quietly, remembering Sunset's turmoil. "Would you like me to help you find the nearest grocery store?"_

 _"Thanks," the man smiled. "I'd like that." Vincent and the man started to walk to the shops._

 _"Have your family moved to Rainbow Falls, or have you lived here your whole life?" asked the man._

 _"Lived there my whole life," said Vincent. "Wouldn't dream of living anywhere else."_

 _"That's nice," replied the man._

* * *

 _Later, the two reached the grocery store, and Vincent caught sight of Scootaloo and First Base with their mother._

 _"Hey there," he said to them._

 _"Hey, Vincent!" grinned Scootaloo. "Mom's just getting some snacks for us."_

 _"That's nice," he replied._

 _"Who's that with you?" asked First Base. But before Vincent could reply, he noticed Cindy's stunned expression._

 _"Flame Barrier?!" she exclaimed._

 _"You know him?" asked Vincent._

 _"I... I do," Cindy nodded. "He is... or, was... my boyfriend."_

 _"He was?" gasped Scootaloo. "Mom... are you saying that this guy is..."_

 _"Your father?" Flame finished. "Yes, I am."_

 _"But... that doesn't add up!" said First Base. "What happened?"_

 _"There was a... misunderstanding," Flame sighed. "I loved your mom very much, you two. But... an ad came up on the TV. It said something about a kidnapping and I thought it may have been when your mom and I traveled round the world."_

 _"You didn't actually kidnap mom did you?" asked First Base in an accusing tone._

 _"No, dear, he didn't," assured Cindy. "He asked me if I wanted to travel the world, and I told him it was my dream to do that."_

 _"I made a foolish choice to leave my lover and kid like that. Well..." Flame sighed. "I'd have never guessed you had twins."_

 _"I wouldn't have guessed either," she admitted._

* * *

 _Meanwhile, Lullaby was getting some things from the store too._

 _"Last I remember, the chocolate chips were this wa- huh?!"_

 _"Hey, mom," Vincent greeted. "I was just helping someone find the nearest store."_

 _"I-is that...?"_

 _"L-Lullaby?!" cried Flame. "I... wha..."_

 _"You know each other too?" asked Vincent._

 _Lullaby drew a shaky breath. "Vincent, my son, I have kept a secret from you for quite some time. Flash too for that matter."_

 _"What is it?" asked Vincent. "Wait; you mean to say that he's... my father...?"_

 _"And Flash's too, yes," Lullaby sighed._

 _"Wait a second," gasped Cindy. "You were Flame's first wife?"_

 _"I thought he had died in a boat accident," explained Lullaby._

 _"That... would explain a lot," Cindy realized._

 _"Except why Flame- er... dad, was on a boat," Vincent cried._

 _"I had a fight with Lullaby when Flash was a toddler," Flame explained. "To make a long story short, I thought Lullaby was ashamed of me for hiding the fact she was pregnant with her second child."_

 _"But I wanted to tell Flame when the time was right," Lullaby put in. "But when I heard of the accident, I thought I'd never see him again... until now."_

 _"You and me both," Cindy agreed._

 _"I can't believe it!" gasped First Base. "We have... two half-brothers and a step-sister."_

 _"And a step-mom and step-dad," added Scootaloo._

 _"Wait till Flash and Fictionary find out," Vincent said quietly._

* * *

 _After the shopping was done, everyone headed on down to Vincent's house._

 _"There you are, big brother!" cried Fictionary. "Did the train delay your trip?"_

 _"Not exactly," said Vincent. "I sort of made a bit of a detour."_

 _"Why?" asked Fictionary. "Did Sunset ask you on a date?"_

 _"No, it's not that..."_

 _"Oh dear..." gasped Fictionary. "Sounds like this is serious."_

 _"What's happening?" asked Flash. "Ah, Vincent, you're finally back. Good to see you."_

 _"And I'm not alone," said Vincent._

 _"Mom came back with you?" Flash asked._

 _"Not just her," said Vincent. Flash and Fictionary glanced over to see the other people Vincent brought back from the store._

 _"First Base, Scoots!" cried Fictionary. "Hey you two!"_

 _"More than just them," said Vincent._

 _"Cindy's come too," Flash realized. "And... who's that man? A friend of Cindy's?"_

 _"More like an old face you haven't seen since you were a toddler," said Flame._

 _"W-what?" Flash trailed. "You were a friend of mom's when I was little?"_

 _"Flash..." Flame shook his head. "I was your mother's first husband. I was there when you were born."_

 _"Wait, so you're my... father?!"_

 _"He sure is," First Base nodded. "And he's mine, Vincent's and Scoots' dad too."_

 _"How is that possible?" Flash gasped. "Vincent, Fictionary and I grew up with Page Turner in our lives."_

 _"Your father left when you were a toddler, Flash, and when I was pregnant with Vincent," his mother explained. "I thought he died."_

 _"Why did you abandon mom, Vincent and I like that?" cried Flash. "Were we not important or something?"_

 _"Of course you were," Flame sighed. "I just... made bad choices."_

 _"What bad choices?" asked Fictionary._

 _"I had a misunderstanding with your mother which lead to me leaving..." And he told them what he told Vincent and the twins._

 _"Oh my," exclaimed Fictionary._

 _"I wasn't a good father, to any of my kids..." Flame sighed. "It seems like you guys had done well for yourselves though."_

 _"Well, dad," Vincent calmly said to him, "as an old Thomas episode's title goes, better late than never."_

 _Flame seemed speechless at Vincent's words. "Uh... wha..."_

 _"Vincent's right, dad," said Flash. "Shall we give this a shot?"_

 _"I... I'd like that," Flame smiled weakly._

* * *

 _As the vision of the what if scenario ended, Vincent saw Flame's ghost coming over._

 _"Fla- Dad..." Vincent quickly corrected himself. "I'm sorry about what I said the one meeting we had..."_

 _"I know," Flame replied. "And I'm sorry I wasn't there for you or the other kids. Page Turner and Lullaby raised you very well, and it looks like Cindy is becoming a good mother figure already."_

 _"Yeah," said Vincent. "But still, I wasn't thinking; I was so distraught by Lullaby's death I took it out on you..."_

 _"I was upset too," Flame told him. "My heart broke when I realized Lullaby was the one hit. And Flash... in a coma... I couldn't forgive myself."_

 _"I know I will never be there for you in the land of the living," he went on. "But... I will be watching over you from up here."_

 _"As will I," Lullaby added, coming over. "I am very proud of my five children, and Flame and I know that Page Turner and Cindy will be there for you."_

 _Vincent didn't know what to say. His biological dad had made peace with him and his biological mom. He rushed up to them for a hug. But, shortly after that, the dream began to fade..._

* * *

Vincent awoke and turned off the alarm. _Dad has made peace with mom,_ he thought. _And with me. I'm so glad he can rest peacefully now._

"Perhaps Morning Roast was right," he said to himself.

* * *

 _Meanwhile, Comet was speaking to his mother in a dream of his own._

 _"My precious son," she said, giving him a kiss on the head. "I'm so glad you found your real father and sister."_

 _"Thanks, mom," he said. "They've been really nice to me so far."_

 _"I can tell," Mystic smiled. "I knew they would be." She shook her head sadly. "If only I succeeded with the divorce and marriage plans."_

 _"It wasn't your fault," said Comet. "It was Top Marks' actions that would lead to his downfall."_

 _"And his actions sunk deep into most of your siblings too," Mystic sighed. "I thought I've raised them better..."_

 _"At least Shooting Star knew better," said Comet._

 _"He sure is a true sibling," Mystic agreed. "And the Cues and Shys treat you very nicely too."_

 _"They're like a second family to me," said Comet._

 _"Speaking of family," Mystic said, "how is Mystic Light II?"_

 _"Oh, mom..." he sighed. "She's beautiful, but... with graduation coming, I can't be there for her as much. Where can she go?"_

 _Mystic was quiet for a moment, then she gestured for a teenage girl to come over._

 _"Starlight?!" gasped Comet._

 _"Yes, it's me," Starlight nodded. "It's been a while."_

 _"Starlight, I... I heard everything," Comet sighed. "Living with an abusive aunt, your mother dying when you were born, Sunburst dying, never meeting your father... it must have been horrible."_

 _"It was," Starlight replied. "But I've reunited with mom and Sunburst, as well as Stellar Flare and met Noble Shield," she smiled. "Noble Shield is a father that anyone would be proud of."_

 _"He sure was," said Comet. "Wish I'd met him for myself; Sunset and Vincent spoke positively about him."_

 _"I can see why." Starlight then frowned. "But my own father... he's been depressed since my passing." Comet winced; he had seen Firelight on occasion and he did seem to be sad most of the time._

 _"He does want to be a good father," Comet admitted, then he put two and two together._

* * *

Comet woke up and wrote his idea down.

"It's a perfect idea!" he cried. "I hope Song Cue approves."

* * *

 **JUNE 9, 2015**

The seniors were making last minute preparations for graduation.

"I'm a bit nervous," Fluttershy said quietly. "Do you think we'll pass?"

"I know we will," said Twilight. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, I did have to stay late at the shelter to help some dogs that were treated roughly at their old house for a while," Fluttershy explained.

"I'm sure those dogs are very grateful for you, Flutters," Twinkleshine assured. "You're not the only one doing two things over the course of the year." She looked down at her stomach; seven months in, and the baby was due in August.

"I do wonder what this child will look like," Lemon Hearts giggled. "I can't wait to be an honoree aunt."

"Speaking of babies," said Twilight, "Songs, Comet, how is little Mystic?"

"Well, Comet's come up with an idea that will work for all parties," Song Cue announced proudly.

"What is it?" asked Vincent.

"Well, remember Starlight's father?" Comet asked.

"Oh yeah," said Vincent. "Nice guy, but understandably depressed."

"He never got a chance to be a father," Comet went on. "And Mystic needs someone to care for her..."

"Wait, you've planned to let Firelight adopt Mystic Light?" Twilight guessed.

"Got it in one," said Comet.

"That's a wonderful idea, Comet," grinned Minuette. "Firelight will be so happy." With that, everyone had to be content.

* * *

 **JUNE 12, 2015**

It wasn't long until the big day came.

"This is it, guys," said Orange. "Our final day at school."

"After that, we're at Canterlot University," said Moon Dancer.

"This will be a big step for us all," said Twilight. "I can't wait."

"Flash said that once I'm in college," said Vincent, "there will be a dorm for both of us and Sunset."

"Sounds cool!" said Song Cue. "I hope I can share one with Comet and Fluttershy."

"What does that leave me, a next door neighbor?" asked Orange.

"Hey, just joking," chuckled Song Cue. "I'm sure there's a four dorm room somewhere."

"And just think," Fluttershy smiled. "A few months from now, little Butterscotch is going to be a freshman."

"As will Fictionary," said Vincent.

"I bet they will have a great time at their first Formal together," Twilight chuckled.

Everyone was gathered in the gym, the seniors standing proudly at the front and friends, family and students alike were watching with smiles.

"Friends, family and students," Celestia announced. "It is once again time for old faces to be going onto new accomplishments outside of our school. Four years go by very quickly, and I can say is..."

Much to everyone's surprise, Celestia took a microphone and began singing.

" _You've come, such a long, long way  
And I have watched you from that very first day  
To see how you might grow  
To see what you might do  
To see what you've been through  
And all the ways you've made me proud of you_

 _It's time now for a new change to come  
You've grown up, and your new lives have begun  
To go where you will go  
To see what you will see  
To see what you will be  
For it's time for you to fulfill your destinies._"

Fluttershy was in tears of joy when Celestia finished.

"That's beautiful..." she whispered.

"How long had she been planning that?" Vincent said to himself.

"I guess for a least a few months," Twilight commented. "It can take a while to write and rehearse."

"Probably helped that she's got a Rainboom for a daughter," said Comet. Their conversing was drowned out by the applause for Celestia's performance.

Celestia blushed with pride and stood to attention. "Now, seniors, when I call your name, please step forward to receive your certificates."

Soon, the seniors were being called one by one by their last names in alphabetical order.

"Fluttershy Breeze."

The pink haired senior was blushing as she went up to shake her principal's hand and get her certificate.

"Way to go, Flutter-butter!" cried Zephyr. Those that were siblings were called up together.

"Starsong Melody Cue and Orange Sherbet Cue."

"I never knew her name was Starsong," Comet whispered to himself. The twins shook Celestia's hand and took their certificates.

"There's my siblings," Heartsong said proudly. She was with her parents and little Mystic. Firelight was also with them with Mystic in his lap. The baby waved her arms eagerly at the twins and giggled excitedly.

"Moon Dancer!"

Morning Roast had a huge smile across her face as her older sister got her certificate. Many more students followed including Flitter Dreams, Fleetfoot Echo, Minuette Favor, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine Rose. Now Celestia and Luna had reached the students whose last names began with S.

"Vincent van Colt Sentry."

Just before Celestia had uttered the word "Sentry", Flash gave the loudest cheer in the crowd, even louder than Sunset.

"Keep your cheering down, will ya?" snapped Rainbow Dash.

"Just you wait when we get to Scootaloo's and First Base's graduation," joked Pinkie Pie. Soon it was Twilight's turn.

"Twilight Sparkle!"

The dark blue haired girl grinned and Flurry Heart gave an excited giggle in Cadence's arms.

"That's my Twily," Shining said quietly. Finally, it was Comet's turn.

"Comet Tail!"

The graduate raced up to receive his certificate. Saffron, Coriander and Shooting Star watched proudly from their places in the crowd.

"You go, little bro," smiled Shooting Star.

"Great job," added Saffron.

"Well done, my son," Coriander whispered. The remaining senior students soon followed. When the last name was called, everyone cheered one more time, and the seniors rushed over to their loved ones.

"Welcome to university, little brother," said Flash, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"How come I couldn't be in high school the same year as my brothers?" Fictionary pouted.

"Cause you're too little," Vincent teased.

"And did you suddenly forget you had two step-siblings?" asked First Base. "We'll be with ya for three years."

"Oh yeah," said Fictionary.

"And Apple Bloom will be with us too," Sweetie Belle reminded her.

"Ah sure will," smiled Apple Bloom. "Ah can't wait ta join ya guys in high school."

"Hoping to ask Featherweight to the Formal?" teased Heartsong.

"M-maybe..."

"Ah'm sure ya'll can do it, little sis," smiled Applejack. Song Cue and Comet came over to Firelight and Mystic.

"How are you, little angel?" cooed Song Cue to the baby. Mystic gave a smile and tried reaching out to Song Cue.

"Mystic has been a ray of sunshine since you asked me to take her in," smiled Firelight.

"She giving you no trouble?" asked Comet.

"She can get up to mischief," Firelight admitted, "but what children don't?" He tickled her under the chin.

"That's true," Comet nodded.

"So, are either of you up for babysitting during break?" asked Firelight.

"Of course we are," smiled Song Cue. "How can we say no to looking after Mystic?" The baby squealed in excitement.

"There's a good girl," chuckled Comet. "And I'm sure our siblings would like to pitch in too."

"Shooting Star, Saffron, Orange and Heartsong are wonderful siblings you two," Firelight smiled. "I'd gladly ask them for help."

"If Starlight were still here," said Comet, "you don't think she'd have minded, do you?"

"I don't think she would have." This came from Morning Roast, who was with her sister. "You did say she was the one who recommended this, right?"

"I did," said Comet.

"You did a good thing, guys," said Moon Dancer.

"Thanks, girls," said Song Cue.

* * *

Morning Roast and Moon Dancer then walked to the snack table.

"Hey, Roast," said Moon. "Your talent really came in handy."

"Thanks, sis," said Roast.

"I'll never dismiss your thoughts again, little sis," Moon Dancer gave her sister a hug.

"I knew you guys would patch things up," smiled Sandbar.

"You guys were right," said Morning Roast. "We did need to talk things out."

"Talking things over with people is the best way to deal with problems," Blossomforth agreed.

"If we hadn't," said Coco from nearby, "I wouldn't have found Zephyr."

"I'm glad to have found you too, Coco," Zephyr replied, giving her a hug. "Though I wonder if Flutters will ever find new love..."

Fluttershy, who had overheard her brother's comment, sighed to herself. "I'm too shy to get a boyfriend..."

"Don't say that, cous," came Orange's voice. "I once thought that I'd never get a girlfriend. But then I got to know Sunflower."

"Isn't she all the way in Manhattan?" asked Fluttershy.

"Yes, but we write to each other and she comes around for summer breaks," Orange explained. "Sunflower said that Braeburn's dating Flitter and he's in Appleloosa."

"Glad to know Flitter's found someone," said Zephyr.

"Especially after Thunderlane chose Cloudchaser," Coco agreed.

* * *

At the snack table, the Young Six were nibbling on cupcakes.

"Cupcakes are best cakes," smiled Yona. "Oh, Roast, come eat one."

"Sure," said Morning Roast. She grabbed one and looked at Yona and Ocellus.

"I'm sorry I held off on those gifts I said I'd make," she sighed. "I'd been in self-doubt after Zephyr's hurtful comments."

"Did he apologize?" asked Silverstream.

"He did after starting a relationship with Coco," said Morning Roast.

"I guess Coco can bring out the best in him," Gallus said quietly.

"And with Moon Dancer and I making things right, I made the gifts last night. Here, Yona." She passed her the water lily bracelet.

"Yona love it!" she cried, and put it on. "Thanks, Roast. Yona won't be scared of water now."

"You're welcome," smiled Morning Roast. "Ocellus, is Thorax here?" she asked, turning to the pink-haired girl.

"Yep," she nodded. "Thorax said he couldn't turn down coming. After all, Emerald and Ruby are going to come here next year and I was already here."

"That's nice of him," said Roast.

"You called me, Ocellus?" he asked, ruffling her hair.

"My friend Morning Roast had something for you," she said. Thorax turned to her in surprise.

"What would that be?"

"I heard Pharynx gives you a hard time," said Roast, "so I made this for you." She gave him a four leaf clover ring.

"I've heard four leaf clovers are lucky," Thorax smiled. "Thank you, Morning Roast."

"No problem at all," Morning Roast replied. "Ocellus also says that Ruby and Emerald are coming here in August. We'll look out for them."

"That's wonderful to hear, Roast," Thorax said gratefully.

"Holly and Harrsion start this year too," said Yona.

"That's great to hear," said Sandbar. "Little Beach Comb is five this year, so she's off to elementary school."

"Same thing with Firestorm," Smolder added.

"Oh my gosh, the Cake twins are five too!" cried Silverstream. "They could all be besties at school."

"That would be so cute," said Ocellus.

"I think they've all met one another a bit," said Sandbar. "I can't wait to see them bond some more."

"I bet you'll be going to a lot of birthday parties if that's the case," said Gallus.

"Especially if there's twins involved," Thorax chuckled.

* * *

Eventually, the ceremony drew to a close and all the families had gone home.

"College starts in August," said Comet. "I'm going to miss my little sister when I'm at the dorms."

"I'll miss you too, Comet," Saffron replied, hugging him. "But we'll keep in touch."

"I just wish I'd found out about you two sooner," Comet admitted.

"You've found us now," Coriander smiled. "How does that Thomas episode title go? 'Better late than never'?"

"That's it, father," Comet nodded.

"You know, your mother and I read the Railway Series as kids," Coriander told him.

"That's awesome, father!" cried Comet. "Did you have a favorite story?"

"I always liked 'Sleeping Beauty'," he told his son. "Duke reuniting with Sir Handel and Peter Sam. Such a touching story."

"Song Cue likes the entire _Duke_ book herself," said Comet.

"Oh yes, she always gushes about it," chuckled Saffron. "But I think Duke's story reminds me of us in a a way. You suffered under Top Marks' harsh words while Duke suffered alone, and father and I were unaware of you, like Sir Handel and Peter Sam didn't know what happened to their granpuff. But... at the end of the story, the engines reunited, like us."

"You know, I never thought of it that way," said Comet. "That's a good comparison. And I'm glad to see Mystic is doing well too," he added. "I think she will grow into a wonderful person."

Comet then gave a big smile. He may have been too young to be a father, but he did the right thing by giving Mystic to Firelight. Maybe someday, he would become a father, and he was determined to raise that child to be a good natured person and never abandon the child as Top Marks had to him.

* * *

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

"Wow, dad, that's how you found out about grandpa Coriander and aunt Saffron?" gasped Venus.

"It sure is, Venus," he replied. "I couldn't have been more happy to know Top Marks wasn't my real father."

"I can't imagine life with him as our grandfather," said Mars.

"And a father-in-law? Forget it," Song Cue groaned.

"And what happened to our other aunts and uncles?" asked Mars. "I mean, we still keep in touch with uncle Shooting Star, aunt Emily, aunt Saffron and uncle Joe, but the rest we don't know."

"I haven't really spoken to them that much since I left," said Comet.

"However," said Song Cue, "one of them didn't see the day your father, myself and the other graduates of Canterlot High that year went to university."

"Ooh..." Twilight winced. "Yeah, that's true..."

"What do you mean by that, mom?" asked Dusk.

"That's a story for tomorrow," Twilight told her son.

"It's one that's stuck with us for over twenty years," said Flash.

"Quite a brutal one too," Sunset agreed.

"Goodness me!" cried Coco. "Is that the time?"

"Bless me, dear," said Zephyr. "I didn't realize it was this late."

"Looks like we'd better get going," said Song Cue.

"Yeah, we'd better get dinner ready," said Comet.

"Ooh, I can't wait for that," smiled Venus. The guests started to depart from the Sentry household to go home while the Sentries went to get dinner started.

"It's sort of like Comet's situation was a reverse of your situation, mom," said Dawn.

"Never thought of it that way, Dawn," Sunset said quietly. "But you're right. My biological mother hated me and abused me, but my adopted mother loved me. Comet's real father loved him very much but his stepfather neglected him."

"Plus Comet never came close to reaching a dark path," added Vincent.

"Maybe that's because we met him just in time," Sunset put in. "Shooting Star was in university and he only had his mother for company until we met him."

"Who knows what might've happened if we never came into his life?" asked Vincent.

"And Song Cue didn't go to school with him until high school," Twilight added.

"I doubt he'd have managed to hold on until then," said Flash. "It's like Sunset said; we managed to meet him at the right time."

"That's true," sighed Twilight. "Though one would wonder as well what would have happened if Top Marks died in his own trap instead of Mystic."

"I don't think Comet's former siblings would have taken it well," Flash shook his head.

"Not at all," said Vincent.

"Well, I doubt Top Marks and Mystic are talking in the afterlife," Sunset commented.

"How did Top Marks die?" asked Dusk.

"He died of old age in prison," Flash explained.

"Sounds fitting for a cruel guy like him," said Violet. "At least grandfather Flame Barrier and grandmother Lullaby were able to make peace."

"Do you think they're watching over us right now?" asked Twilight V.

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were," said Sunset.

Unknown to Sunset, there were a trio of ghostly figures watching from the window with smiles on their faces.

" _All our kids and grandkids have grown into fine people,_ " smiled Lullaby.

" _They sure have, Lullaby,_ " Flame agreed. " _They've accomplished so much._ "

" _I'm glad I at least have two sons and a step-daughter to be proud of,_ " Mystic I said quietly. " _And my grandkids from them._ "

" _I'm glad our sons and their wives met Comet in middle school,_ " said Lullaby.

" _Bless them, Lullaby,_ " Mystic sighed. " _They saved him from a dark spell._ "

" _It wasn't a problem, Mystic._ "

With that, the three of them faded back to join their other deceased friends and loved ones. Yes, their kids had come a very long way.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **The original draft of the chapter was very different. Song Cue was supposed to go into labor and give birth to an equivalent to Mystic Light II, but since the plotline was changed to her and Comet adopting an** **orphaned** **child, it had to be cut. This also gave us a good ending for Firelight too.**


	43. TR&FOAC1 - Run of the Mill

Has it been six months since I last updated there? Wow! To be honest, I kinda forgot that _Art of a Sun's Love_ was being posted there as well, mostly due to struggling to write up the first few chapters of this volume, _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_ , but also due to focusing on my alternate history series, _Strawberry Peppers_.

So, without further delays or ado, here's the first chapter of the new volume! Also, from this volume onwards, all chapters will be credited to myself, James Riddle, Rachel/TobyandMavisforever, and Mike Nicholson, regardless as to who contributed what.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 1 - Run of the Mill (Harrison, 1970)**

Canterlot High School was known to many as being run by the always motherly Celestia McCracken and her younger sister Luna Faust. Together they keep a close watch on the students and loved each and every one, even after they finally graduate to college and beyond. But it wasn't always like that. Canterlot High hit a dark patch during the early 2000s.

* * *

 **AUGUST 20, 2001**

Fourteen-year-old Shooting Star looked up at the entrance to Canterlot High School. It was his first day going there and he was feeling rather eager.

"High school!" he gasped excitedly. "This will be a lot of fun."

"I know what you mean, Shooting Star," said a female voice, one that seemed very familiar. He looked over to see a familiar girl his age with her right arm stopping at the elbow.

"Emily!" The blue haired boy rushed over to give her a hug. Emily Tempest gave a smile and hugged him back with her good arm.

"How's your break been?" she asked.

"Kind of wild," said Shooting Star. "You know how it is being the oldest of seven kids under one roof."

"I can imagine," Emily replied. "I'm thankful only to have one other sibling besides myself."

"Has your brother been giving you much trouble?" asked Shooting Star as the duo moved off to their lockers.

"Oh, Blueblood's the same as ever," Emily sighed. "Always ignoring me, as is mom."

"I'm sorry to hear that," sighed Shooting Star.

Emily nodded sadly. "At least dad is there for me. Is little Comet holding up okay? I think he's starting kindergarten this year, correct?"

"He starts next year, actually," said Shooting Star. "He's still in preschool."

Emily smiled, thinking back to her days as a four-year-old.

"Aww, those were the days. Comet's so lucky to not worry about high school stuff yet." Just then, another student saw them.

"Hey, you guys; are you freshmen too?" she asked. The student's eyes were a moderate harlequin while her hair was a moderate and dark cobalt blue.

"We sure are," said Shooting Star. "What's your name?"

"Name's High Winds," she replied. "Do you know where orientation is?"

"I think it's that way," Emily told her. "We'll go with you."

"Thanks," said High Winds. The trio rushed over to a room and took seats.

"Looks like we just made it," said High Winds.

"Only just," said Shooting Star.

"Hard to believe there's so many freshmen here," said Emily. At that moment, the students heard the sound of footsteps and a woman stepped out.

"Who's that?" whispered High Winds.

"Our principal, I'm guessing," Shooting Star said quietly, his voice prickling with uncertainty.

"Greetings, freshmen," said Principal Abacus Cinch in a haughty tone that Shooting Star didn't like. "Welcome to your first ever year at Canterlot High School." Emily seemed to tense up at Cinch's tone, and High Winds cringed.

"In order to succeed in school," Cinch continued, "you must get good grades. If even one of you fail, it will damage our school's reputation."

"It sounds like she feels one student will ruin everything for everyone," Shooting Star whispered.

"She scares me," High Winds gulped.

* * *

Shooting Star felt relief to finally be out of the hall with his timetable.

"First class, English," he said to himself. "I just hope the principal is the exception and not the rule..."

He soon got there and found a handful of students. Some of them were older than Shooting Star, and one of them was chatting warmly with the teacher.

"It's so good to have you for English again, Mrs. McCracken," said the student.

"It's always my pleasure, Junebug," smiled Celestia. "Seeing my students trying their best is what I like to see."

Shooting Star walked over in surprise.

"Mrs. McCracken?!" he cried, recognizing her as Emily's older cousin once removed. "Is that you?!"

Celestia looked over. "Shooting Star. It's so good to see you again."

"I didn't know you were a teacher for this school," he said.

"I needed a job to provide for little Solar Crystal," she explained. "I've always liked kids, so I figured being a teacher would work for me."

"We'd best take our seats," said Junebug, offering for Shooting Star to sit next to her.

"Thanks."

"Good morning, students," said Celestia. "For those who don't know me, I am Mrs. McCracken, and it is a pleasure to have many new faces here today, and to see a few old faces too.

"For this first activity, I want you to write a little bit about yourselves and to share a bit of information with the class," she went on. "Remember, your fellow students are your teammates, and you may have to work with them in group activities someday."

Junebug eagerly got out her paper and started to write things down. "My parents are gardeners," she said to Shooting Star. "I'm hoping to follow in their footsteps."

"That's nice," he said, looking down at his own paper.

"You okay, buddy?" asked Junebug.

"Yeah, but we shouldn't be talking to each other at the moment," Shooting Star replied with a whisper. Junebug looked embarrassed and went back to her page. Shooting Star went to write down his notes.

 _Coming from a big family isn't easy,_ he wrote. _But I do try my best to be a good brother._

Later, it was time for the students to share what they wrote.

"Okay," Celestia said cheerfully. "Who's going first?" A girl with two toned purple hair and blue eyes raised her hand.

"Okay, Banana Fluff. Go on."

"My mom works in an ice cream shop and we sometimes make some at home together."

"That's really neat," smiled another student. "You and your mom must be really close."

"Kind of like Comet and me," said Shooting Star quietly.

"Thanks, Banana Fluff," smiled Celestia. "Who's willing to go next?" Another freshman, a boy this time, raised his hand.

"Meadow Song?"

"My uncle lives in the countryside and I often visit his place in the summer," he said. "We enjoy riding down some of the trails down there."

Eventually, it came down to Shooting Star's turn.

"I come from a large family," he said. "Six younger siblings; it can get a bit rowdy sometimes, but I've noticed my youngest sibling Comet doesn't get love from his other siblings or our father."

"But... why is that?" asked Meadow Song in shock. "I have a great relationship with my dad and sister."

Shooting Star sighed. "I wish I knew. Comet is a sweet boy, and would be a great friend if one gave him a chance."

The other students felt moved by Shooting Star's speech and a few of them said they'd ask their younger siblings to look out for him in preschool.

"Thank you, Shooting Star," said Celestia, and it looked like she was about to cry.

 _Mrs. McCracken is very adept at being a teacher,_ he thought. _She doesn't just teach the students, she understands them on their level._

* * *

 **MARCH 2002**

But unfortunately for Shooting Star and many other students, it was not all sparkles and sunshine. Celestia was one of the few kind teachers in the darker years. Most of the others were brutal, one being Justice Stability.

"Miss Tempest!" she barked at her. "Would you care to explain why you're writing with your left hand?"

"Because my right hand isn't there to write with," Emily retorted. "I thought that was obvious."

"Don't be funny with me!" snapped Justice Stability.

"If you didn't make fun of it, then I would have stayed quiet. Besides, I've been using my left hand to write for years through practice."

Some of the students in the room looked over with impressed smiles at Emily. But it wasn't long before she found herself face-to-face with Principal Cinch.

"Ugh, of all the wastes of time," Emily muttered.

"Don't you use that tone of voice to me," Cinch said sternly. "Miss Stability told me about your attitude in class."

"Only because Stability was rude first!" Emily growled.

 _Not going to back down, are you?_ Cinch thought to herself. _We'll soon fix that..._

"I've had to suffer enough at home!" Emily continued. "I certainly don't need it here too."

"Stand up, young lady." But Emily just sat firmly in her chair, holding Cinch with a burning anger. Annoyed at her student's rebellious nature, Cinch forced Emily to stand up with one hand and whacked her on the back of her legs with a cane.

"You beast!" Emily punched Cinch's jaw with her good arm. "How dare you treat students in a cruel manner!" she continued darkly. "It's no wonder they hate you as principal."

"You've just earned yourself two weeks' worth of suspension," Cinch muttered.

"I'd rather be at home than to deal with your barbaric punishments anyway..."

* * *

After Cinch called Emily's family, her father Cosmos came to get her. He was Celestia and Luna's older cousin, and had dark purple hair with tints of black and deep blue eyes. Some people were intimidated by him, but he did have a sweet side to those he cared about.

"Emily, what exactly happened today?" he asked gently, somehow figuring it wasn't his daughter's fault.

"One of the teachers made fun of me for missing part of my arm," she sulked. Cosmos was outraged.

"One of the teachers?!" he snapped. "Who?"

"It was the political science teacher, Justice Stability," his daughter replied.

"Let me have a word with that creature," he growled. "Insulting someone's disability."

"I'll speak with her, Cosmos," said another voice. It was Celestia. She had come out to get some files for her next class. "No one should ever treat students the way that Stability did."

"It wasn't just Miss Stability that was rude, Mrs. McCracken," Emily told her. "Principal Cinch hurt me with a cane."

Celestia and Cosmos' eyes went wide with shock.

"This is worse than I thought," Celestia gasped.

"Both of you go," Celestia advised. "I'll have a chat with Cinch."

Cosmos and Emily soon left for home. Once they were gone, Celestia strolled right to the principal's office.

"Abacus Cinch, I'd like a word!"

Cinch was a bit surprised at the tone from the usually optimistic Celestia, but maintained composure.

"Yes, Celestia, what is it about?" Cinch asked calmly.

"Emily Tempest told me you beat her up with a cane," Celestia growled. "Not only that, there was no reason for her to be sent to your office. She was simply standing up for herself, and that's not worthy of a punishment."

"Students shouldn't disobey their teachers," Cinch retorted. "They need to be kept on a leash so they don't step out of line."

"We are responsible for the students' safety, but we need to communicate with them on their level," Celestia insisted. "If there is something wrong, we should listen to what they need to say."

Cinch felt intimidated by Celestia's words. The English teacher was usually a calm and collected soul, but today, it seemed like her voice was tinted with a hint of anger. Still, Cinch had to admit that Celestia has a point.

"I see," she said at last, going back to her files.

"I don't wish to hear anymore of this abuse, Cinch," Celestia went on coldly. "If I catch you again, there will be consequences."

Cinch knew what Celestia meant by "consequences" - the latter could report the former to the superintendent of the school district, and Cinch would lose her position as principal of Canterlot High.

* * *

From then on, Celestia watched Cinch like a hawk, and kept an eye on the students at Canterlot High School. But Celestia couldn't be everywhere and everywhere she wasn't, Cinch abused students again and again. However, Cinch would blackmail the students she abused in order to keep her good reputation intact.

One of the victims was a student named Spearhead who first came to the school in 2003.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 2005**

"Mr. Spearhead!" Justice Stability barked.

"Good heavens, Miss Stability," snapped Spearhead. "What do ya want?"

"What do you call _this_?" She shoved the most recent homework Spearhead had given her onto the desk. There were a few mistakes.

"Oh," said Spearhead, confused as to why the teacher was making a big fuss over a few spelling mistakes. "I didn't notice that much."

"You do realize if this keeps up, your grades will drop!" Stability growled. "And if you fail, you won't be able to get into college or a job, and you won't be able to make a living for yourself."

To add insult to injury, Spearhead had been sent to Cinch's office.

"Oh, not Cinch..." moaned Spearhead to himself.

"Grammar errors?" Cinch glared at Spearhead. "Everyone should proofread their work before handing it in."

"It was kind of last minute on my part," protested Spearhead. "I didn't really have the time to spell check and all that."

"What were you doing?" Cinch asked dangerously.

"I was... er... partying with my friends...?" Spearhead finished weakly.

"Schoolwork comes before play!" snapped Cinch. "Stand up right now, mister!" Spearhead bit his lip and anxiously looked away. Suddenly, he let out a loud scream that filled the office; Cinch had paddled him in the rear, and it stung very badly.

* * *

A few doors down in a classroom, Emily, Shooting Star, Cadance, Diamond Rose and Shining Armor had heard the yell.

"Was that Spearhead?" asked Diamond Rose.

"Sounded like it," said Shining Armor, wincing at the sound.

"What do you suppose is going on?" wondered Cadance.

"We'll probably ask him later," said Shooting Star.

"If we see him later today," muttered Emily.

"Don't speak like that, Emily!" gasped Diamond, almost too sharply. Unluckily for her, the teacher had heard what she had said.

"What is going on with you, Miss Rose?" she said firmly.

Shooting Star thought quickly. "Er, Diamond was shocked at the fact that in Team Dark's story for _Sonic Heroes_ , Shadow could be an android instead of the original."

The teacher sighed and rolled her eyes. "Just leave your interests for break time," she said. The teacher walked back to the front of the class, leaving the group of students relieved.

"Thanks," Diamond Rose whispered.

"Anytime," Shooting Star whispered back.

"Still, that is a curious statement you brought up," Shining quietly. "We'll have to figure that one... after we solve the real problem."

* * *

They soon met up with Spearhead again during lunch break.

"What happened to you, Spearhead?" asked Diamond Rose anxiously.

"She struck me hard on my ass," groaned Spearhead.

"Not Cinch..." gasped Emily quietly.

"That happened to you?" asked Cadance.

"On my shins," said Emily.

"Why is she principal anyway?" asked Shining Armor.

"I don't know," sighed Shooting Star. "She's been principal since Em and I were freshmen."

"And she's gotten away with her behavior for this long?!" exclaimed Diamond Rose.

"Afraid so," Emily nodded. "Mrs. McCracken's the only one who can keep Principal Cinch in check."

"But she can't be everywhere at once," said Cadance. "She has to teach classes and tend to other matters at the school."

What the six students didn't realize was that Celestia had overheard their discussion. This had been one of those days she decided to spend her lunch break observing the students from afar. She loved listening to what they loved talking about - how their day was going, their personal interests, plans for the future, you name it. Little moments like these were eye-openers, and even when the students didn't notice Celestia, they were always on their best behavior in her presence. The fact that Cinch was still abusing the students when she wasn't around made her blood boil with rage.

 _I should have reported her when she harmed Emily,_ Celestia thought to herself with regret. _I will not make that mistake again._

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **High Winds is one of the Wonderbolts, Banana Fluff and Meadow Song are a couple of background ponies and Junebug was seen in _Secret of My Excess_. We needed some students to fill in for Shooting Star and Emily's first year at high school as their friends are years below them.**

 **Emily's father being Cosmos is a** **reference** **to how he was intended to have Tempest Shadow's role in the first draft of the movie. Also, he's Celestia and Luna's cousin as opposed to their brother in the original plan. By having him as Blueblood's father too, it knocked out two problems with one stone.**


	44. TR&FOAC2 - Power to the People

Here's the final half of the Principal Cinch duology. You can basically consider this chapter and the previous as a sort of extended prologue to the present-day (2015) events.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 2 - Power to the People (Lennon, 1971)**

Celestia would have talked with Cinch right there and then, but, you guessed it, the bell went for class.

"It's not just students who have to rush off..." she muttered.

After school, however, Celestia decided to take the chance in confronting Cinch.

"Now where can she be?" Celestia wondered to herself. She decided to ask one of the staff if they knew.

"You alright, Celestia?" asked Spitfire, who was walking by with some files.

"Looking for Abacus Cinch," said Celestia. "Any idea where she might be?"

"She went that way," said Spitfire, pointing in the direction. "Let me guess, she did something to harm one of the students?"

"Paddled Spearheard from what I overheard," said Celestia.

"I wish I could say it was a surprise," sighed Spitfire.

"Me too," Celestia grunted. "I'll chat with you later, Spitfire."

"Yeah, see ya, Celestia," said Spitfire.

* * *

Cinch was on her way to the staff lounge when Celestia walked over.

"Celestia," remarked Cinch, slightly surprised. "How surprising to see you."

"I heard some students chatting at lunch," Celestia spoke firmly.

"That's nothing new," Cinch muttered. "You're often watching them during break. What you see in them, I hadn't a clue."

"A lot of them reminded me of myself and my friends during my high school years here," said Celestia. "But that's not really the point, Abacus."

"Just what is it then?" Cinch sighed.

"The students mentioned Spearhead was hit with a paddle!" Celestia snapped. "And all because of a few spelling mistakes too!"

"He was partying when he should have been correcting his work," Cinch retorted.

"I should have reported you ages ago!"

"You're not the principal, Celestia!" Cinch growled.

"You're right on that point," said Celestia, "but that doesn't mean I'm powerless."

"And just what do you mean?"

"I could bring this up... with the superintendent!"

And that is what Celestia did.

* * *

The superintendent of the Rainbow Falls/Canterlot School District was Apple Polish, no relationship to Granny Smith and her family. She was in her late fifties with umber hair going gray and blue eyes. Celestia walked into her office, looking grim.

"Good day, Mrs. McCracken," said Apple Polish. "What can I do for you?"

"Miss Polish," Celestia sighed, "we have a situation at the school. I'm concerned for the students."

"None of them are slacking off or dropping out, are they?" asked Apple Polish.

"With the way Cinch is treating them, I wouldn't be surprised," Celestia told her.

"Well, slacking off is unacc- wait, what?!" gasped Apple Polish. "Could you please repeat that?"

"With the way Principal Abacus Cinch is treating the students," Celestia repeated, "I wouldn't be surprised if they wanted to get away from her."

"W-what is she doing to the students?"

Celestia explained to the superintendent the methods Cinch used to punish the students over minor misdemeanors.

"Bless me!" she cried. "Celestia, that's just cruel."

"I tried telling her not to," Celestia continued, "but it sounds as though she'd been doing it for a few years behind my back..."

"In which case, I'll do something about this at once," Apple Polish said firmly. "Thank you for telling me, Celestia."

* * *

Celestia came back home after the meeting. Luna had been looking after both Nyx and Solar Crystal. Luna had become an astronomy teacher for Canterlot High in 2003, so she had a chance to work alongside her sister.

"Hey girls, I'm home," called Celestia. Solar and Nyx rushed to hug their mother/aunt.

"How'd your day go?" asked Nyx.

"Could have gone better, honestly," Celestia sighed. "It's good to see you."

"We had a lot of fun at school, mom," said Solar. "We played ball with Blossomforth at break."

"That's good, dear," said Celestia, "but I need to speak with your aunt Luna right now."

"What about?" asked Nyx.

"It's... some things adults have to talk about," Celestia said, choosing her words carefully. "Why don't you two play something and your mother and I will check on you later."

"Okay, mom," said Solar. "C'mon, Nyx."

"First one upstairs chooses what we play!" called Nyx, and the girls bolted. Once she was sure the kids were out of earshot, Celestia sat down at the table.

"Something troubling you, dear sister," Luna sighed, sitting down too. It wasn't a question, rather a statement. If was as if Luna could read Celestia's mind at this stage.

"Something big," the older sister replied. Celestia explained to Luna about Cinch's harsh ways. Luna's eyes widened with horror.

"Why would anyone hurt students like that?"

"I don't know," sighed Celestia, "but she won't be getting away with it any longer."

Luna looked towards the staircase and could faintly hear her daughter and niece laughing together. "I'd hate for our kids to end up at Canterlot High with Abacus Cinch as principal."

"I'm sure Apple Polish will choose someone worthy of the position," Celestia assured. "Spitfire is good with the students."

"And a natural-born leader," added Luna. Celestia was confident that things would be smooth from here on out, but fate had something else in mind...

* * *

The next day, at school during first break, unknown to Celestia and Luna, Cinch went to the staff lounge. Justice Stability was already there.

"What did you hear?" asked Cinch. "This better be good."

"It's not," Stability sighed. "Celestia had spoken to Apple Polish about your actions. I heard her chatting with Spitfire yesterday."

"And what did they say?" asked Cinch, pouring herself some coffee.

"Celestia knows what you've been doing to the students," Stability explained, getting herself some water. "She and Spitfire, and I guess Luna too while we're at it, don't approve of it."

"Celestia McCracken is just a naive idealist," said Cinch. "She's always putting the students' wants ahead of what they have to learn. Quite a softy."

"She gives us on top a bad name," Stability agreed. "I mean, she's friends with the common folk in Rainbow Falls."

"Isn't she supposed to be upper class?" Cinch asked.

"Her family is," said Stability. "Yet they treat the common folk with pleasantries as opposed to looking down on them. Is it any wonder they accepted her marriage to the son of a criminal? The Fausts give us upper class people a bad name!"

"And both Celestia and Luna are raising their kids solo from what I hear," grunted Cinch. "Celestia's husband is who knows where and Luna didn't even get married to her boyfriend."

"Raising them solo, huh?" Stability tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Maybe we can use that against them."

"Not a bad idea, Stability," Cinch smiled. Of course, Cinch was bring hypocritical. She was raising Starlight Glimmer solo, but she had assured herself it was justified. Her sister had died and Starlight's father didn't even marry Cobalt Star.

"The superintendent must've filed a report based on what Celestia's word," said Stability. "How do we get rid of it?"

"Is it on the computer or on paper?" asked Cinch.

"Everything's done with computers these days," said Stability.

"Then it's simple; we just delete the file."

"We'll have to hack into the system somehow," said Stability.

"Okay, maybe _not_ so simple," Cinch sighed. "Security is tight on the school system."

"I think we'll find a loophole around this..." said Stability.

* * *

Later that day, Justice Stability was teaching a class when the bell rang to indicate that lunch break had begun.

"Rare Find," she called as the rest of the students practically raced out the door like frightened bunnies. "I need to speak with you."

"What about, ma'am?" he asked, walking over to her desk.

"Principal Cinch is in a bit of a tricky situation," Stability sighed.

"What kind of sitch?" asked Rare Find.

"Someone is trying to get her out of the position as principal."

"Who?"

"It's Mrs. McCracken," Stability explained.

"My mom is close with her," Rare Find said quietly. He then asked out loud, "What should I do about it?"

"We need someone to keep an eye on her," Stability told him. "She starts a rebellion, and this school's reputation will be ruined!"

"I can do that for you," Rare Find agreed. He made a mental note to tell Cayenne, Neon Lights and the twins when they eventually joined Canterlot High School.

* * *

During break, Shooting Star and his friends were all eating together.

"Political science is draining with Stability as a teacher," sighed Lemony Gem. "I wouldn't want little Lemon Hearts to deal with her during her time at high school."

"Nor should Twilight have to suffer," agreed Shining Armor.

"And Twinkleshine shouldn't have to suffer either," nodded Diamond Rose.

"They all deserve far better," agreed Cadance.

"I dread if Comet gets here and runs into that monster," Shooting Star fretted. "He gets anxious very easily."

"We should all keep alert," Spearhead said to the others. "Stay as far away from Stability and whoever else follows her around as possible."

"Unless you're in her class," Emily muttered.

"What's going on over here?" said a voice. Shooting Star whipped his head around to see his younger brother walking over.

"We're just conversing, little brother," said Shooting Star. "Nothing to fret about."

"Were you talking about Stability?" asked Rare Find.

"Yes, why does it matter to you?" asked Shooting Star.

"She's not that bad," Rare Find grunted. "Neither is Cinch. I don't get what the issue is."

"The issue is that they're bullies to anyone committing a minor misdemeanor!" snapped Emily. "I was a witness of their behavior, and a victim!"

"She's right," grunted Shining in agreement. "Cinch and Stability are no better than Eggman and Metal Sonic."

"That's not fair comparing real people to cartoons," said Rare Find.

"Well, it can be fun sometimes," said Cadance causally. "Shining Armor has compared me to Sally Acorn." There were some chuckles among the group as Shining blushed.

"Ugh, crushes..." grunted Rare Find, completely overlooking the fact he had a crush of his own.

"Do you have any other business to be here?" asked Shooting Star.

"We are brothers, aren't we?" said Rare Find. "That should be enough indication."

"With the way you neglect Comet Tail, I'm surprised we're even related." The others shot Rare Find dark glares in his direction. Realizing there was no point in continuing, he left without another word.

"That guy is impossible," sighed Shooting Star.

"Not easy living with six other siblings, isn't it?" said Lemony Gem.

"Especially if five of them are stuck up," Shooting Star agreed. "You, Diamond and Shining are lucky to have caring siblings."

* * *

When word had spread that the Canterlot School Board was finally going to fire Abacus Cinch, this meant that there would be an opening for principal of Canterlot High. Many people began filling out applications for the role, each of them sure that they would do a better job than, as they put it, "that stuck-up control freak".

While Rare Find was trying to pull students over to his side, many applicants had heard about Cinch's title as principal to be revoked.

"Anyone could make a better principal than her," said one of them.

"I'd gladly take her place," a second person agreed.

"She's nothing but an abusive bully," added a third. "I hope they paddle her and see how _she_ likes it!" There were voices of agreement from the others.

There were so many reports from people wanting to take over from Cinch as principal that the school board didn't know what to do with them.

"We can't read all of these," sighed one of the school board members. "This would take us years!"

"What are we gonna do?" asked another member of the board.

"It will take us a while to get through these reports," said Apple Polish. "I suggest we keep tabs on Cinch until we find the best successor."

"Is this really the best course of action?" asked a third member.

"Does anyone have another suggestion?"

No one had an answer to Apple Polish's question.

* * *

Cinch was in the dark about the goings on that the report had actually gone through, but some of the students had received word.

"Thank heavens," said High Winds to Banana Fluff. "I don't know if I could stand that principal for another day."

"Nor could I," said Banana Fluff. "She's been a nightmare since she became principal."

"I hope we get someone good to take her place," High Winds tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Do you have ideas who it could be?"

"What about Mrs. McCracken?" suggested Banana Fluff.

"Ooh, she's a good role model," High Winds grinned. "It's almost like she's a second mother to me."

"What?!" gasped Cinch from afar, hearing this exchange.

It wasn't just High Winds and Banana Fluff who thought Celestia was a good candidate.

"Mrs. McCracken?" gasped Emily. "Well, she's always acted more like a mother to me than my own mom."

"She's more of an aunt figure to me," said Cadance.

"I think it's a wonderful idea," smiled Shooting Star. "She always encourages us to think of each other as teammates and puts others needs ahead of her own."

"The students want Celestia to take over?" Cinch muttered. "Huh, the idea. She's so young." Again, Cinch wasn't one to talk since she was only older than Celestia by only five months.

"But what if she does take over for me...?" Cinch asked herself. "I better find a way to keep her from taking my spot..."

But I'm afraid she couldn't think of how to do it. Worse still, everywhere she went, Cinch heard people say hurtful things about her.

"Did you guys hear," said Spitfire to Photo Finish and Octavia, "that Cinch's parents went to jail?"

"Really?" gasped Octavia. "What did her parents do?"

"They were notorious blackmailers," explained Spitfire.

"Do you suppose Cinch inherited zose traits too?" asked Photo Finish.

"It's not entirely out of the question," said Octavia.

"Wouldn't surprise me if she wound up in jail after she is fired," Spitfire said firmly.

It wasn't long before the vast backlash reached Cinch.

"How dare they talk about my parents that way!" she growled. "They raised me quite well, which is more than what could be said for that lost cause known as my sister." The harsh resentment toward her sister, her almost husband and their daughter made her even more enraged.

Whilst the school board continued to think up of a suitable replacement for Cinch, she tried to pull a select few students to her side. Among them were Rare Find and his siblings Cayenne and Neon Lights, and there was also Juniper Montage, Vladimir Blueblood and the older sister of Sandbar, Vignette Valencia.

* * *

 **APRIL 29, 2008**

Eventually, the day arrived where the new principal would be decided. On that day, the Canterlot School Board had gathered all the students and faculty in the auditorium. Apple Polish started the announcement.

"Good day, everyone," she greeted. For a while now, there has been a decision on replacing Abacus Cinch as principal of Canterlot High School due to her unacceptable behavior." Many glares were shot at Cinch.

"Many people offered their applications for the position," Apple Polish continued. "That's why it took so long for a new principal to be found. But at long last, we have made our decision. Canterlot High's new principal shall be... Celestia McCracken!"

This news was greeted by cheers from practically everyone. Well, everyone except for Cinch.

"M-me?!" Celestia gaped at the crowd in astonishment. "I've only been an English teacher. A-are you sure?"

"You earned this, dear sister!" Luna gave her sister a tight hug. "It's clear the students adore you."

"I can think of no one better for the job, Celestia," Spitfire agreed, extending her hand to shake it. Celestia, amused by the irony of hearing that from the very person she thought would fit the job as principal better, shook it in response.

"I don't know too much about being a leader," Celestia admitted, "but I'll do my best to listen to the students and staff and treat them fairly."

"How is this possible?!" Cinch snapped from far down the back. "Celestia is principal instead of me?!"

"Celestia has a certain motherly instinct about her," Apple Polish said quietly. "I wouldn't be surprised if this was true even before she became a mother herself."

"But... but... she's a single parent raising her child by herself!" Cinch suddenly shouted. "As is her sister Luna!"

"Really?" Spitfire was surprised, but impressed. "You guys are juggling work and being single moms?"

"It's no easy task," said Luna. "But before our girls went to school, Celestia took a job here. I joined up shortly after they started school."

"You two really have your work cut out for yourselves," smiled Octavia. "I bet your daughters are wonderful."

"They really are," said Celestia.

"Wait... what?!" Cinch gasped. "You people are just chill with that?"

"As long as the children are raised well, it doesn't matter if they are married or not," Octavia responded firmly. Apple Polish then brought Celestia up to the microphone so she could make a speech.

"Good day to you all," she started. "I honestly had no idea that I would be chosen as your new principal. I can, however, agree that Abacus Cinch was terrible at her job. All she did was abuse her position to make the students and faculty miserable. This is a school, not a prison. Canterlot High should be a place where students are free to express themselves. A place where teachers are not over-disciplinary. A place where children aren't treated as machines!"

Everyone in the audience seemed to agree to Celestia's speech. Except, of course, for Cinch.

"Are you even listening to yourself?!" she shouted in anger. "Students expressing themselves? Being treated as equals? If children are to ever understand the importance of proper education, then they need to be disciplined!"

"There is a huge difference between discipline and abuse," said Celestia in a firm tone. "And what you did was abuse. Your actions almost drove a student to suicide, and nearly put the school in danger of being sued!" Some of the older students winced in memory of Spearhead nearly causing suicide.

"Well... fine then!" snapped Cinch. "Enjoy being the ringleader of this circus. I've never liked kids anyway."

"Then why take a job here?" asked a student sarcastically.

"You were rotten!" cried another student.

"Get out!" called a third. "The less we see of you, the better."

Seething with fury, Cinch stood up and left the auditorium. But not without receiving more insults from the students and having a few things thrown at her.

"One of these days, McCracken," Cinch snarled under her breath, "you'll be sorry. Why did I sign up for this job anyway?" she muttered as she walked away.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Photo Finish is a part time teacher at Canterlot High School during this period.**


	45. TR&FOAC3 - I Can't Imagine

So now we're finally going back to 2015 with Vincent, Sunset and their friends! On a side note, the next few chapters will take place during the latter half of _Song of the Comet_ , focusing on what else happened whilst Comet and Song Cue looked after baby Mystic Light. Believe it or not, this chapter didn't have an outline to begin with when we actually started writing the chapter itself.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 3 - I Can't Imagine (McCartney, 1993)**

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

That evening, the Sentry family was all eating together. The kids were taking in the story of how Song Cue and Comet Tail had taken in Mystic Light II without second thought.

"Who would have guessed that Song Cue and Comet Tail were gifted parents as early as high school?" Dawn Spark commented.

"I wouldn't want to have been there during that time," sighed Dusk. "Mystic sounded like a handful."

"A bit of a troublemaker wrapped inside a cute bundle," agreed Twilight V.

"You three were handfuls as babies too," chuckled Twilight, glancing at her three kids. "Even more so than Flurry was."

"Oh, come on, mom!" groaned Violet Glow. "We weren't _that_ bad."

"Oh yeah?" Dusk smirked. "What about when I was playing with blocks and you knocked them over as a baby?"

"I didn't know anything back then!" protested Violet.

"Okay, kids, calm down," Flash chuckled. "You've all turned out good in the end."

"I think all you kids turned out great," assured Twilight. "Lemon Hearts would have been proud." She looked said after mentioning her friend's name.

"She sounded like another sister of sorts to you, aunt Twilight," said Dawn.

"You'd have all loved to have met her," said Twilight. "She was a bit of a rebel against society, but she was still a loyal friend to us."

"I wish we could have," sighed Thunderclap. "Lemon Hearts sounds cool."

" _Sounded_ cool," corrected Flash. "But yes, she died far too young."

"All because of Bloody Sunday," sighed Silver Spoon.

"August 9, 2015," finished Scootaloo.

"What caused an event as terrible as Bloody Sunday?" asked Typewriter.

"Well, politics seem to bring out the worst in people," Sunset told her nephew. "Almost makes you wish they didn't exist."

"All because of a couple of votes?" gasped Penny Strike. "Sounds insane."

"It all started shortly after my birthday," said Vincent. "I had just become old enough to vote. Song Cue and Orange Sherbet were voting for the first time too."

* * *

 **JANUARY 24, 2015**

It was a quiet Saturday afternoon. Vincent and Flash were hanging out with some of their friends at the Sweet Shoppe; Song Cue, Comet Tail, Twilight, Math and the Rainbooms. Mystic Light II was there too in a high chair.

"I can't believe it, guys; Cadance is due very soon!" said Twilight excitedly. "It should be a couple of weeks from now. I'll be an aunt!"

"Do you know if it'll be a boy or a girl?" asked Vincent.

"Funny story about that," said Comet. "When Cadance visited Song Cue's house, Mystic Light here didn't pay attention to Cadence's unborn baby."

"And that means?" Rainbow asked.

"I've heard somewhere that if babies don't pay attention to an unborn baby, it's the same gender," Song Cue stated. "It could be a girl."

"Suppose we'll have to find out," said Flash.

"Well, Mystic Light is more perceptive of people than politics," Applejack muttered.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Fluttershy.

"Well, if Ah'm right, some of ya'll have recently become old enough ta vote," Applejack explained.

"Not me," said Comet. "My birthday is in March."

"So is mine," said Fluttershy.

"And I'm not even a senior yet," Pinkie put in.

Song Cue turned her attention to the older members of the group. "I'm unsure what to do for the election," she said, tapping her chin anxiously. "Mom and dad said that both Orange and I have to make our own choices but it's a bit overwhelming."

"Who are the candidates for the mayor's office?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"I think I have the notes here somewhere," said Twilight, fiddling with her bag. "Ah, here they are." She took them out, and when Twilight unfolded the paper, the group were shocked at one of the candidates.

"Is that... Abacus Cinch?!" gasped Sunset.

"It can't be..." exclaimed Vincent.

"Twilight, are you sure you didn't misprint something?" asked Math.

"It's not a misprint, I'm sure of it," said Twilight.

"If Abacus Cinch becomes mayor, we're in real trouble," Applejack gasped.

"I'd run to Canada fast as I could," said Rainbow Dash.

"I know you're fast, Rainbow, but it will still take ages to get to Canada on foot," Comet joked.

"You'd have to be Supergirl just to get there," said Twilight.

"Or Sonic or Shadow," chuckled Song Cue.

"Or maybe even Gordon," added Vincent.

"Okay, okay, I get the point," muttered Rainbow Dash. "You guys understand what I'm sayin', right?"

"We do," said Comet.

"Anyway, who else is there?" asked Fluttershy.

"There's incumbent mayor Marion Weseluck," said Twilight. "She's planning on a second term in office."

"Oh yeah," Pinkie nodded thoughtfully. "Think she'll get it again?"

"Why wouldn't she?" said Rarity.

"Well, you never know with these things," sighed Flash.

"Any of the candidates would be better than Cinch," shuddered Fluttershy.

Mystic Light, who was just watching with curiosity, sensed Fluttershy's worry and tried reaching her hand out.

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Mystic," Fluttershy said, letting the baby rest her hand on top of hers. "You're a good girl." Mystic Light cooed in response.

"I don't think we have much to worry about," said Math. "Who'd be foolish enough to vote for Cinch anyway?"

"Who indeed?" agreed Vincent.

"I don't know, a robot she made herself?" Song Cue laughed. Everyone else laughed in agreement, even Mystic Light giggled.

* * *

 **JANUARY 31, 2015**

The following weekend, Twilight, Flash and Vincent were having lunch at a local cafe.

"Did you guys hear," asked Twilight to the boys after they placed their orders for food, "that some new tiger cubs were born at the zoo a few days ago?"

"Fluttershy mentioned something along the lines the other day," said Vincent.

"She and her family, cousins included, have gone to see them," Twilight smiled. "I hope they take pictures."

"That'd be nice of them," said Flash. "I bet they look cute."

"Hard to believe little cubs like them will be powerful animals when they grow up," Vincent commented.

"Fluttershy also said tigers are on the endangered species list," sighed Twilight.

"That's pretty sad," said Flash.

"And it's for cruel reasons too," Twilight went on. "Fluttershy was practically in tears when she told me what those poachers do."

"That's just wrong," said Vincent. "If they're doing this to survive, that's one thing, but for personal amusement? They're sick."

"No kidding, little brother," agreed Flash. "People who harm animals should be in prison for the rest of their lives."

"The world can be cruel at times," said a voice. "There's only so much one person can do."

"That wasn't me," said Vincent, surprised at hearing a third male voice. Twilight seemed to be on high alert, glancing in the direction of the voice.

"It's been so long since then, but... I think I know who that is," Twilight gasped.

"Who?" asked Flash.

"Timber Spruce."

"Good guess, Twilight," said the person in question. Timber Spruce was a year older than Twilight and Vincent and he had two toned dark aquamarine hair. His eyes were a grayish green.

"You know him?" asked Vincent. Twilight nodded.

"He's from elementary school."

"You never spoke of him before," said Flash.

"Perhaps she was afraid you'd be jealous," said Timber.

"I didn't mention him because we didn't exactly have a good connection," Twilight said suddenly.

Flash and Vincent looked surprised. The only people in their age group they had seen Twilight have negative views on were Trixie and Starlight pre-heel-face turn, and Comet's neglectful siblings.

"Come on, Twilight," Timber said, trying to claw back loose ground. "We had good times during breaks at school. Remember when we played ball together with your friends? Who were they again?"

Before Twilight could list off their names in a bored tone, there was an older figure walking toward them.

"Timber Spruce," she said firmly, "how many times do I have to tell you? Always give me a warning before racing off."

"I saw a familiar face, sis," Timber sighed. "Just got excited." The woman he was speaking to had light green eyes and her hair was in two shades of moderate raspberry.

"I do apologize for the interruption, Twilight," said the woman. Upon closer inspection, Vincent and Flash could see she was about a few months younger than Shining Armor.

"No harm done, Gloriosa," Twilight replied.

"Say, you never told me the names of these two," said Timber.

"It's Vincent van Colt and Flash Sentry," Flash sighed, gesturing toward himself and little brother.

"Looks like you made some good friends here, Twilight," said Gloriosa. "Especially Vincent here. He looks so cute!"

" _Cute?!_ " Gloriosa had meant for it to be a compliment, but Vincent took it as an insult.

"Hey, calm down," said Gloriosa. "I wasn't trying to be mean."

"Er... Vincent's kinda... nervous when girls treat him like that," Flash explained.

"Oh, I did not realize that," said Gloriosa. The young adult cleared her throat. "Well, this has been eye opening. We'll leave you three to your outing. Again, I apologize for any inconvenience."

"Hey, Twilight, we could go out on a date to celebrate our reunion," winked Timber, but Gloriosa pulled him away.

"Not on your life," Twilight groaned.

"It's Feather Bangs and Sugar Belle all over again," grunted Vincent. "Except this time, he's got a sister."

"Maybe that's a _good_ thing," said Twilight. "Someone pulling him away from me. I wouldn't be caught dead in a relationship with that guy."

"How did your first meeting turn out anyway?" asked Flash. "If you don't mind me asking."

"It all started in elementary school," Twilight began. "I was a new kid along with Twinkleshine, Lemon Hearts, Minuette and Moon Dancer, while Timber was a year above us."

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 2002**

It was a few weeks after Twilight and her friends started school. During break time, Twilight, Moon Dancer, Minuette, Lemon Hearts, Twinkleshine and Lyra Heartstrings were playing ball with each other. Though they didn't know how bad Lyra was during this point, Twilight did spot small signs here and there.

"Did you guys hear that storm last night?" asked Twinkleshine, throwing the ball toward Lemon Hearts.

"I didn't," said Minuette. "I'm a heavy sleeper."

"It kept Morning Roast awake," sighed Moon Dancer. "Dad and I were up for an about an hour to calm her down."

"Poor kid," said Lemon Hearts.

"Shining Armor and I were kept up too," sighed Twilight. "I wasn't scared, it was just loud."

"Lemony Gem doesn't like storms either," sighed Lemon Hearts. "What did you and Diamond Rose have to say about it, Twink?"

"She's been afraid of storms since she was a baby," said Twinkleshine.

"It was quiet at my house," said Lyra. Her eyes seemed to dart away though. It was also at that very moment that Minuette threw the ball toward Lyra and she missed, causing it to bounce away.

"Whoops..." sighed Lyra. "There it goes."

"I got it!" called Twilight, racing after it. She raced along until she bumped into a boy who was a year above her.

"Excuse me," said Twilight. "You haven't seen a ball rush past have you?"

"It went over by the bushes I think," the boy replied, pointing toward them.

"Thanks." But as Twilight went to get it, she got pricked by the branches of the bushes, and leaves got caught on her clothes.

 _Darn that Lyra,_ she thought to herself. _Why'd she have to lose focus?_ She finally got the ball out and the boy she had spoken to before was laughing at the sight of her.

"What are you laughing at?" she snapped.

"Y-you look... hilarious!" he hollered. "Twigs and leaves, branches, I think you have a flower in your hair."

"Oh yeah?!" Twilight snapped. "How would you like it if you were forced to grab a ball out of the bushes that someone else let get away?"

"W-wait a minute," said the boy, trying desperately to maintain damage control. "I didn't mean-"

"I'm not listening to bullies like you." Twilight raced off to rejoin the girls.

* * *

Soon after, the bell went for class and the girls had helped Twilight get the worst of the bush clutter off.

"Next time, Lyra, _you_ get the ball," grunted Minuette.

"I 'get the ball' enough times when I'm playing with my siblings," sighed Lyra. "Give me a break."

"Right," said Lemon Hearts, unconvinced.

"One thing for sure," said Twilight, "I'm not going near that guy again."

"That was really mean of him to laugh like that," agreed Moon Dancer.

"You're not too scratched up, are you?" asked Twinkleshine.

"No, but my hair's a complete mess," said Twilight. "Mom's gonna freak out when she sees me."

"I thought your dad was the organized one," said Minuette. "Isn't your mom into extreme stuff?"

"That may be so, but she wouldn't expect me coming home looking like a tree!"

"Let's just get inside," said Lemon Hearts. "Who knows what our teacher wants us to do now."

* * *

As time went by at elementary school, Timber tried to make peace with Twilight, but something would always go wrong. It didn't help that they were in different year levels and not in the same class, which made their encounters strictly during breaks.

One day, Twilight was playing tag with her friends.

"I'm it!" called Twilight and she chased after Lemon Hearts.

"Can't catch me!" laughed Lemon Hearts. But as Twilight ran, she was so focused on catching her friend she didn't see what was coming. A ball rolled toward her and she tripped.

"Whoooaaa!" she cried as she fell.

"Twilight!" The girls all stopped where they were and raced over to her.

"You alright?" asked Minuette.

"I think I scraped my knee," Twilight admitted.

"Whose ball is that?" asked Twinkleshine.

"Oh, that's mine," said a voice.

"Oh, great..." groaned Twilight.

"First you laugh at our friend now you invade our game?" growled Lemon Hearts.

"Look, it just slipped out last time," Timber retorted. "And losing a ball can happen to anyone. Didn't you girls lose one last time?"

"Likely story," sighed Minuette. "Let us carry on our game in peace."

"Alright, alright," sighed Timber, walking off with his ball. "Girls..."

"Can you still walk, Twilight?" asked Moon Dancer.

"Yeah," said Twilight, standing up. "It's not too bad... is it?"

"I don't see any blood," said Moon, "but we may need it to be checked out by a teacher."

The girls walked over to the nearest teacher, who started tending to Twilight.

"What exactly happened back there?" she asked.

"I tripped over a ball," said Twilight.

"And do you know who's ball it was?" the teacher went on.

"Timber Spruce's."

The teacher looked thoughtful. "Timber Spruce... he can be a bit spirited, but I'm sure he meant no harm."

"The first thing I witnessed him doing a while ago was laugh at me after I got a ball out of the bushes," Twilight muttered.

"Hmm, sounds to me you had a bad first impression," the teacher mused.

"No kidding," said Twilight.

"I know what that can be like," the teacher gave a quiet sigh. "But try to give him a chance. Timber is not as a bad guy as you think."

* * *

But I'm afraid it was easier said than done. When it was time to leave, Twilight went up to the school gate with her friends. Her mother was waiting for her.

"Hi, mom," said Twilight.

"Hello, dear," greeted Twilight Velvet. "Ready to go get Shining Armor?"

"I sure am," said Twilight.

Meanwhile, Timber was looking around, a bit lost.

"Mom? Mom, where are you?"

Twilight blinked in surprise.

"Is something wrong, Twilight?" asked her mother.

"Timber sounds like he can't find his mom," Twilight explained.

"That's terrible," Twilight's mom gasped. "Let's see what we can do."

Both headed over towards Timber, who was now on a nearby bench.

"Where could my mother be?" he sighed. "She's never late..."

"Is something wrong there, young man?" asked Twilight's mom. Timber glanced up, his eyes red from crying.

"I don't know where my mom is," he sighed. "She's always on time to get me."

"Maybe she's late because of traffic," Twilight Velvet suggested. That wasn't the best choice of words.

"B-but... if she's caught in traffic... how long will she be?"

"Maybe those at the office will know," Twilight said hopefully.

"O-okay," Timber smiled weakly, walking with the Sparkles to the office.

"Hello, Timber, Twilight, Mrs. Sparkle," greeted the receptionist. "What can I do for you?"

"Young Timber's mother hasn't come yet," explained Mrs. Sparkle.

"I'll give her a ring." The receptionist then went to get the phone.

" _Hello?_ " came a female voice on the other end.

"Mrs. Spruce," the receptionist said calmly, "your son is here and is worried about you."

" _About that..._ " Mrs. Spruce sighed. " _My daughter Gloriosa has gotten badly injured._ "

"My sister's gotten hurt?!" Timber cried out loud, leaning forwards into the phone.

" _I'm afraid so, dear,_ " sighed his mother.

"What did she get hurt from?"

" _Gloriosa was running to the classroom,_ " Mrs. Spruce explained, " _but she tripped up on some slippery ground._ "

"Is she okay?" asked Timber.

" _She broke her leg and is in hospital right now._ "

"How long is it gonna be?"

" _The doctor says she'll be using crutches for about two months,_ " said Mrs. Spruce. " _We're just leaving to pick you up right now._ "

"Okay, mom," sighed Timber. "I'll help in anyway I can." Twilight was quiet for a moment, considering how Timber reacted to his sister's injury.

 _He cares about his sister a lot,_ Twilight thought. _I guess there is some good in him._

"I would be worried if Shining Armor got hurt too," Twilight said quietly. "He'd do the same for me."

"Isn't that what all siblings do?" Timber smiled slightly.

"I couldn't imagine someone who wouldn't be worried about their siblings if they were in trouble," Twilight told him. "Anyone who acted like that would be cruel."

"Some people can be cruel," sighed Mrs. Sparkle. "But thankfully we haven't met anyone of the sort."

* * *

Eventually, after several more minutes, the trio heard footsteps coming in the door.

"Mom, sis!" Timber rushed over to them.

"We're sorry we're late, little brother," Gloriosa apologized. Her right ankle was in bandages and she was on crutches in order to stand up.

"No, Gloriosa," Timber replied. "You couldn't help an injury."

"But I ended up making mom late to pick you up," she insisted.

"It's okay," Timber said kindly. "This nice student and her mom kept me company."

"My name's Twilight," she replied.

"So's mine," Mrs. Sparkle added. "Twilight Velvet. My daughter is Twilight Sparkle."

"Kind of a tradition on my mom's side of the family," said Twilight.

"That's interesting," said Mrs. Spruce.

"Well, have a safe trip home," smiled Mrs. Sparkle. "We have to... Oh shoot, we're going to be late for Shining Armor." The Sparkles dashed off, with Timber having an appreciation for Twilight.

* * *

 **JANUARY 31, 2015**

"Seems like you did connect for a spell," Flash said thoughtfully.

"But then you lost contact after a while, huh?" asked Vincent.

"Sort of," Twilight sighed. "I just felt concern that his mom was late and his sister was hurt. After that, he started to become... I guess like a male Amy Rose to my female Sonic."

"I know what that's like," sighed Vincent.

"At least Math and Flash were trying to be subtle during the love triangle thing," Twilight pointed out.

 _Love can be blind,_ Flash thought to himself. _It's something that we've all experienced before. I just hope Timber can figure that out himself._

"Timber doesn't go to the same university we're going to in a few months, does he?" asked Vincent.

"Er... he does," Flash sighed.

"Damn it," Twilight muttered to herself. "I'll never hear the end of this..."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The part at the Sweet Shoppe was the first scene written whilst we were writing chapter two. The rest of this chapter came afterwards.**


	46. TR&FOAC4 - Sue Me, Sue You Blues

Here's chapter four, with another flashback to the mid-2000s!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 4 - Sue Me, Sue You Blues (Harrison, 1973)**

Abacus Cinch sat in her study with a lot on her mind.

"I can't believe it," she muttered to herself. "My niece has been dead a year, all because that Celestia expelled her from the school! If it hadn't been for her, her family and those Sentries, Starlight would still be around!"

Of course, Cinch failed to note that Sunset had attempted to save Starlight, but Starlight gave up her life to be rid of Icy Heart.

"One of these days, McCracken," said Cinch bitterly, "I'll make you pay! If I were still principal of Canterlot High, Starlight wouldn't have been expelled. All that fuss over the students running off like rabbits."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 8, 2005**

It was at the end of another school day. Shooting Star was walking to the train with Shining Armor, Cadance and Emily Tempest.

"You guys didn't see Spearhead around today, did you?" asked Shining Armor to the others.

"I spoke with Diamond Rose and Lemony Gem, but they hadn't seen him," Cadance replied.

"You don't think something bad's happened to him, do you?" asked Shooting Star.

"Something like what?" gulped Emily.

"Maybe... I'm just thinking too deeply into this," Shooting Star sighed. But as the group hopped on the train, they noticed that other students were feeling tense.

"Is there something wrong?" asked Cadance.

"Well... Cinch has really scared us," one of the students admitted.

"We know she's scary," said Emily, "but this time around, why is this?"

"Well, some of us have been taking days off school," a male student called Gaffer admitted. "Even when we're not sick."

"And some of us are switching schools," added another student, this one Poindexter. "Mom sighed me up to Crystal Prep recently."

"I... I guess that makes sense," Shining said quietly. He shared a few classes with Poindexter, and was saddened to see him go.

"Either of you know what became of Spearhead?" asked Shooting Star.

"Neither of us saw him today," Gaffer sighed. There was silence on the train for a moment when another student, Eight Bit, spoke up.

"I overheard a phone call between Miss Photo Finish and Spearhead's mom in class today."

"What'd they say?" asked Poindexter.

"Spearhead's mom said that he was going to school, but Miss Finish said he never showed up."

"He didn't?" asked Shining Armor, fearing the worst.

"This sounds serious," said Emily. "If he wasn't at home or school, where would he go?"

"We may need to do a full grid search of the area," Shining Armor said determinedly. "Shops, cafes, parks, libraries, anywhere you can think of. My dad can help us here."

So that was what the group did.

* * *

"You sure he didn't go to school, son?" asked Night Light, getting in the car.

"That's what Eight Bit said to us," said Shining Armor.

"In that case, I'll get others in on the search too," his father replied. Night Light told his fellow police officers about the goings on, while other students told their parents. It wasn't long before a search party was in place for Spearhead.

"I hope we find him soon," sighed Spearhead's mom.

* * *

One of the families on this search were Diamond Rose, her younger sister Twinkleshine and their parents, who had agreed to search down by the park.

"You think he's alright?" asked Twinkleshine.

"I hope so, Twink," sighed Diamond. "He could be anywhere!"

"Maybe he's down near the picnic area," their mother suggested.

"I don't think he is," her husband replied in a slight panic. Just then, the family saw something move around by the river.

"Mom, dad, Diamond," Twinkleshine pointed in the direction of the river. "Over there." They rushed over to check it out.

At the river, Spearhead's mind was clouded with fear, sadness and self doubt.

"I can't do anything right," he mumbled. "My principal and political science teacher say I'm a failure... Maybe the world doesn't need me..." He glanced at the river; the raging water seemed to a welcoming sight. Almost at once, he was about to jump...

"SPEARHEAD!" Startled, he fell towards the ground, almost hurting his arm and leg. Diamond rushed over to her friend, checking him over.

"Are you alright?" she asked with concern. "Everyone's been worried sick for you!"

"School has been awful..." Spearhead winced. "Cinch and Stability both had relentlessly bullied me and... I couldn't take it anymore."

Diamond's mind began to spin as she held her hand to her head, her heart seemed to sting with pain. Was Spearhead seriously considering...

"NO!" she screamed.

"What was I supposed to do?" he asked quietly.

"You could tell someone about it," said Diamond Rose. "Like your parents."

"I love my parents a lot," Spearhead replied. "But I didn't want them to think less of me because I wasn't doing well at school."

"Good parents wouldn't care about how your grades were faring if there's a more serious situation," Diamond insisted.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive," said Diamond, comfortingly hugging her friend. Spearhead hugged her back.

"Sis!" Twinkleshine panted, catching up with Diamond with her parents alongside. "What's going on?"

"Spearhead almost tried to... tried to..." Diamond Rose couldn't finish the sentence. Twinkleshine and the adults' eyes widened with horror as they realized just how serious this was.

"Can you move?" asked Mrs. Rose.

"Agh, I don't think so," groaned Spearhead. "I think I twisted my ankle."

"Let's get you to hospital right away," Mr. Rose said firmly.

"And maybe let his mom know where he's at," said Diamond. Mrs. Rose quickly rang up Spearhead's mother.

" _Do you have any news, Mrs. Rose?_ " asked Spearhead's mom.

"We found him about to jump off a bridge," explained Mrs. Rose. Spearhead's mom almost fainted and dropped her phone.

"Are you alright?" asked Mrs. Rose.

" _My son, he almost..._ " Spearhead's mom's breath caught in her throat. " _Is that something to feel alright about?!_ "

"I'm sorry I asked," said Mrs. Rose. "But anyway, he's alright; we're taking him to the hospital right now."

" _I'll meet you there._ " Both of them hung up.

* * *

About half an hour later, Spearhead's parents arrived at the hospital.

"Mr. and Mrs. Rose," said Spearhead's dad. "How is he doing?"

"The doctors say he twisted his ankle and landed hard on his right arm," explained Mr. Rose.

"Thank heavens you guys found him in time," sighed Spearhead's mom. "Do you have any ideas why he attempted to... jump?"

"Well..." Diamond Rose sighed. "I'm sure you two are aware of Cinch being cruel toward students."

"Spearhead said something about her being rude," said his dad, "but he didn't go into details."

"Well... Cinch has abused victims," Diamond elaborated. "Not just by yelling, but using outdated forms of punishment."

"What kind of punishments?" asked Spearhead's mom.

"Mostly hitting the students with stuff."

"Hitting students?" gasped Spearhead's mom.

"Spearhead was one of the unfortunate ones," explained Diamond Rose. "He felt completely humiliated following his encounter with Cinch."

"Oh, heavens above..." Spearhead's mom gulped at this realization.

"Cinch has gone too far," said Spearhead's dad. "We cannot let her get away with tormenting a student who... nearly ended this way."

* * *

It wasn't long before Spearhead's parents filed a lawsuit against Abacus Cinch and, by extension, Canterlot High School. Celestia was looking through the school papers, and her eyes widened in horror.

"I knew Cinch was going to get it coming to her," she said, "but to sue the entire school?" Her mind then wandered to Spearhead and his family.

"I only hope they're upset with just Cinch and Stability," she added.

* * *

When Abacus Cinch heard about the lawsuit, she was outraged.

"A _**lawsuit**_?!" she bellowed in anger.

"You brought it on yourself," Celestia replied firmly. "No wicked deed goes unpunished."

"Celestia's right," agreed Luna. "These poor students have suffered too much."

"I was trying to keep the students in check!" Cinch growled.

"By scaring them?" asked Celestia. "No one would want to go if that's the case!"

"I've been hearing things about some students switching schools," said Luna.

"Switching schools?!" gasped Cinch. "They can't do that!"

"And why not?" asked Celestia. "Since when were you in charge of all their decisions?"

"The students and their parents have the final say in where they go," Luna agreed. "Their safety is top priority."

Instead of simply responding to the sisters' statements, all that Cinch did was glare crossly at them. She stormed out of the room, seething with rage.

"How do you think Cinch will handle the lawsuit in court when she turns up?" asked Luna.

"About as well as a bull handling a china shop," Celestia replied. Luna couldn't help but give a small chuckle at how ridiculous the idea was.

* * *

Before long, the day of the lawsuit came. Everyone who could be there had gathered in the court.

"All rise for Canterlot Court is now in session," announced the bailiff, Frazzle Rock. She had freckles, brilliant tangelo hair with light orange streaks and cornflower blue eyes hidden beneath her glasses. "The Honorable Judge Fluffy Clouds presiding. Please be seated."

Fluffy Clouds was one of the people who looked least likely to be a court judge with harlequin eyes and poofy light cobalt bluish gray hair with darker highlights. Yet despite his appearance, he looked very professional.

"Calling the case of Canterlot High School vs. Spearhead and Family," said Judge Clouds. "Will the clerk please swear in the jury." The clerk, Tropical Dream, had brilliant gold and orange hair and moderate violet blue eyes with light violet eye shadow.

"Will the jury please stand and raise your right hand?" she asked the jury. All twelve members did as they were told before Miss Dream continued, "Do each of you swear that you will fairly try the case before this court, and that you will return a true verdict according to the evidence and the instructions of the court, so help you, God?"

All twelve jurors said "I do" before she asked them to be seated again. The attorney for Spearhead and his family spoke first.

"Your Honor," he said, "I am here today in lending a hand of exposing a cruel person for their true, abusive colors."

"Objection, Your Honor!" insisted Cinch's attorney.

"Overruled," said Judge Clouds.

"As I was saying," the family attorney continued, "a young student at Canterlot High School was physically and emotionally abused by this so-called principal."

"I was trying to keep him in line," Cinch insisted. This was met by dark glares from Spearhead's parents.

"Liar!" snapped Emily Tempest from the audience. "You just wanted an excuse to hit someone!"

"Order!" cried the judge just as an argument was about to break out. "Order in the court!" Everyone soon settled down.

"But Cinch is-"

"Easy there, Em," Cosmos whispered. Spearhead's family's attorney continued.

"Allow me to continue with Exhibit A," he said, showing Cinch's paddle. "The paddle Abacus Cinch had used to cruelly torture unexpected students whenever she felt like it!" The students that were in the audience, especially Spearhead, winced.

"I don't want to go through that again," he whispered to his parents.

"Don't worry, son," assured his dad. "We'll make sure it doesn't."

"It's alright, sweetheart," comforted his mother. "We won't let it happen again."

"How did they get that?!" Cinch cried in outrage. She glared at her attorney, who shrugged.

"That's just how we roll, ma'am."

"I'll have to get rid of you when this trial is done," Cinch muttered to herself. Her attorney just rolled his eyes.

"Exhibit B," said the family attorney. "The homework assignment, provided to me by young Spearhead, and the root of this lawsuit." There were a few gasps of shock in the audience of the homework given.

"Isn't it just a few sheets of paper?" asked Cinch's attorney.

"To you, it may be just sheets of paper," explained the family attorney. "But looking more closely, it's an essay written for political science, dated February 6, 2005, the day before the due date."

"What?" gasped Cadance's mother. "That's insane." There were some other quiet murmurs among the crowd.

"That is all I have to present," said the family attorney. "What evidence do you have for your client?"

"I'm afraid my client does not feel the need to present evidence in court," her attorney admitted.

"Overconfidence," Emily muttered.

* * *

Soon, it was time for the prosecution to call for its first witness.

"Please stand and raise your right hand," said Tropical Dream to Spearhead. "Do you promise that the testimony you shall give in the case before this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I do," said Spearhead.

"Would you please state your name?"

"My name is Spearhead."

"You may now sit down," said Tropical Dream, and so Spearhead did. The family attorney came up to him.

"Spearhead," he said, "would you mind telling the court everything you remember happening the day of the incident?"

"Sure," said Spearhead. "The day had started out like every other school day. I chatted with some friends during intermissions before eventually, I had to go to political science. As the bell hadn't rung yet, I thought it was my chance for a little shuteye. See, I was a bit tired since I had spent the night having fun with some friends."

"And what happened after that?" asked the attorney.

"After the hangout, I suddenly realized I had an assignment due tomorrow and quickly wrote up my paper on the computer," said Spearhead. "My teacher, Miss Justice Stability, called me out for a few spelling mistakes and sent me to Principal Cinch's office. When I told her, she was so furious with me that... that... that she sent a paddle right up my ass!"

The words seemed to send bolts of horror through the crowd.

"As if that wasn't bad enough," said Spearhead, slowly beginning to break down emotionally, "I-I kept on seeing it happen again and again in my head. I didn't want to let anyone know about what had happened with me because I was afraid of what she would do to me. I wanted this nightmare to end, and so I tried to end my life by jumping the bridge...!" By that point, he was nearly screaming hysterically.

There was a stunned silence after Spearhead stopped speaking. After what felt like forever, he buried his face into his hands and began crying. His parents looked on from the crowd in sympathy, wishing they could get up right now just to hug him.

* * *

Emily Tempest was next to give her perspective on the story.

"I was in class with a few others at the time, and we overheard a commotion from the office," she said. "It was pretty loud, and from what I could tell, it wasn't pretty."

"I take it you were a victim of Miss Cinch?" asked the family attorney.

"I was," Emily replied. "She even tried to break me when I was sent to her office all because I was writing with my left hand."

Some of the audience looked appalled at Cinch for such treatment.

"Forgive me for asking," said the attorney, "but how did you end up losing part of your right arm?"

"It was in a climbing accident," Emily explained.

"And did you explain this dilemma to your teachers?"

"Yes, I did," said Emily.

"So you mean to say that even with the situation explained, Abacus Cinch still had the nerve to strike you?" asked the attorney before shooting a finger at Cinch, an angry tone in his voice.

"Yes, she did," said Emily, also with a hint of anger in her voice. Not at the attorney, but at Cinch. "Abacus Cinch is a vile, nasty woman who loves hurting children no matter who they are and what they do!"

"Burn the witch!" cried a voice from the crowd. Some voices followed before Judge Cloud banged his gravel for attention.

"We are not living in medieval times," he reminded the crowd.

* * *

The next one to the stand was Shining Armor.

"Spearhead and I were best friends since elementary school," he began, "and back then, he was very confident and had a lot of support from family and friends."

"Were you ever a victim of Miss Cinch's abuse?" asked the family attorney.

"I was not," said Shining Armor. "But I heard a lot of unpleasant stories from my peers about what she did to them and their friends." He shuddered at the memory of an especially unpleasant story. "And please don't get me started on one in particular..."

* * *

"My little sister Twinkleshine pointed to us at the bridge where Spearhead was," said Diamond Rose when her turn came. "When we got there, Spearhead... he... that was when..." Her breath caught in her throat.

"My wife and I could never live with ourselves if anything bad happened to our son," said Spearhead's father. "And we could never forgive anyone who almost made him kill himself!"

* * *

As more witnesses came to the stand, Cinch's hopes of being off the hook were getting dimmer and dimmer. Eventually, she was finally called onto the stand. Needless to say, Cinch was not looking forward to it, but she hoped she could somehow find a way to gain the court's favor.

"Raise your right hand," said the bailiff. Cinch did so while placing her left hand on the Bible.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"

"I do." With that, she sat in the stand. Her attorney approached and started.

"Miss Cinch," said her attorney, "did you strike young Spearhead with a paddle?"

"Yes," said Cinch. "I did."

"Why?"

"Because he was neglecting his studies," insisted Cinch. "He thought partying and staying up late was more important than doing his homework. If I had let him off the hook, how would he learn responsibility?"

"Did you _know_ your discipline would lead to Spearhead becoming depressed and attempting suicide?" asked the attorney.

"Of course not," said Cinch.

"You see, ladies and gentlemen of the jury?" said the attorney. "Miss Abacus Cinch was merely doing what she thought was her duty as head of the school. An important part to any principal's job is to make sure education is taken seriously." With that, he took his seat.

With that sort of speech, Cinch felt sure she would win. But then, Spearhead's family's attorney came back up.

"Miss Cinch," he said, "who are your parents?"

"Nicholas and Merriwether Cinch."

"I had a feeling they sounded familiar somewhere..." said the attorney. He took out a file and looked through it. "Nicholas and Merriwether Cinch; guilty of over a hundred counts of blackmail, manipulation, and obstruction of justice."

"Objection, Your Honor!" insisted Cinch's attorney. "I fail to see what this has to do with my client."

"Overruled," said Judge Clouds. "Please, continue," he said to the family attorney.

"One question comes to mind," said the family attorney. "How exactly _did_ Abacus Cinch achieve her spot as principal of Canterlot High School if her family had such a heinous reputation? Well, as the old saying goes, 'the apple doesn't fall far from the tree'."

"And just what are you insinuating?" demanded Cinch.

"Given how your parents were such notorious blackmailers," said the attorney, "who's to say you didn't take after them and manipulate the school board into giving you such a high position?"

There were a lot of nods in agreement to this statement. No one liked Cinch at the school, and so it seemed to make sense.

"I did what I had to do!" Cinch retorted. "The school may have been run by someone soft and by extension, they end up letting the students do whatever they want."

"So what you're admitting is," said the family attorney, "you have some sort of sick schadenfreude obsession?"

"What does that mean?" whispered Cadance to her mother.

"It's a German word meaning that someone gets pleasure from another person's misfortune," she explained.

Cadance winced, which sent a ripple effect on her friends in the audience. By now, Cinch was on the verge of finally snapping, her eye twitching.

"Yes! Yes, I do!" she screamed, and before the family attorney could continue, Cinch delved into a full-blown rant. "I lost most of my family! My parents were taken from me for the wrong reasons and my sister died! As principal of Canterlot High, I'm giving the chance to take my troubles out on the students whenever I feel like it. It gives me satisfaction! It gives me power! I _LOVE_ MAKING PEOPLE MISERABLE!"

There was dead silence in the court as Cinch stopped; it was so quiet you could hear a pin land. By the time Cinch realized what she had said, it was too late.

"I think I've heard enough," said Judge Clouds. "We shall await the jury's decision." Minutes later, the jury came out of their office.

"Has the jury reached a verdict?" asked Judge Clouds.

"We have, Your Honor," said one of the members. "We, the jury of the court, find Abacus Cinch..."

Everyone held their breaths, wanting to hear the verdict properly.

"...guilty!"

The court room erupted with cheers and applause. The only one not happy was Abacus Cinch.

"I will not go down that easily!" she growled.

Apart from being found guilty, she was to pay Spearhead's family a hefty fine - we'd rather not mention how much it was.

"I have a good mind to revoke your position as principal," said Judge Clouds. "But unfortunately, I cannot."

"Well, that's a relief," said Cinch.

"Are you serious?!" cried Spearhead's father. "After everything she's done, she gets to keep her job?!" Many other cries of protest followed this statement.

"Order in the court!" demanded Judge Clouds, getting everyone's attention. "When Miss Cinch began her job as principal, she'd signed a contract protecting her from being relieved of her position for at least five years. When that time is up, only then can she be replaced. But even though I can't remove Abacus Cinch from her duty, I _can_ make it so that she is no longer allowed to abuse the students and staff for the remainder of her stay."

"Are you serious?!" screeched Cinch.

"I'm dead serious, Miss Cinch," said Judge Clouds. "After everything I've heard about your actions, you are nothing more than a spiteful bully. And if I had my way, I would throw you into the state penitentiary for the rest of your life. I hope someday you get exactly what you deserve. Court is adjourned." He banged his gravel, and then everyone began to depart for home.

"Mom, dad..." Spearhead said in a hurt voice. "Will she ever go?"

"She'll have to go!" his mom said firmly.

"But that could take months, dear," said her husband. Spearhead's mother gave a quiet sigh, realizing her husband was right.

"Who knows when that'll be?" said Spearhead's mother.

"I guess all we can do is hope for the best," Spearhead said quietly.

* * *

 **JANUARY 31, 2015**

Abacus Cinch scowled as she thought back to that fateful day in court. The day her power and privileges would begin to be taken away from her.

"I can't believe that blasted attorney used my mother and father's actions to seal my fate," she growled. "And that he somehow got me to admit to having a schadenfreude obsession." She then looked at a newspaper about the upcoming election polls.

"But once I win the election," she said to herself, "I will finally get my revenge on those fools who cost me everything."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Some of the courtroom members were the delegates from _Princess Spike_.**

 **Poindexter, Eight Bit and Gaffer were Shining Armor's friends from the comics.**

 **Part of Cinch's rant in the court was loosely inspired from Victor Tanzig's "Trial" from _The Stories of Sodor_.**

 **Please remember: if you ever have suicidal thoughts, seek help from a family member or a trusted friend. You are worth more than you think.**


	47. TR&FOAC5 - Devil Woman

Here's chapter five, and we take a little break from political drama to focus on the relationship between Math Equation and Rarity. This was originally written by Mike Nicholson, with a different set of circumstances altogether. In fact, this chapter barely resembles the original draft.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 5 - Devil Woman (Starr, 1973)**

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

Meanwhile, Rarity, Math Equation and their kids Gem Light and Color Wheel were having dinner at their house. The former had dark indigo hair tied back by a reddish-pink headband, and the latter had light brown hair with deep blue eyes. Both were around fifteen years of age.

"Hey, mom, dad," said Gem Light, looking at a picture on the wall of the Rainbooms and Twilight. "Is it true that you guys didn't officially get together until after you graduated school?"

"It is," said Rarity. "Why do you ask?"

"Simple curiosity," Gem Light replied. "Were you too shy to tell mom, dad, like how Buzz was to Jessie?"

"Uh... a little bit," Math admitted. "But even Buzz and Jessie had it simpler than your mother and I."

"How so?" asked Color Wheel.

"Well, we were caught in a few love triangles for a start," Rarity pointed out.

"Oh yeah," Gem Light remembered. "Crushes are crazy..."

"They sure are," said Color Wheel.

"Didn't Spike have a crush on mom when he was younger?" Gem Light asked.

"Erm... yes," Rarity nodded. "I knew it would never work and assumed he'd get over it quickly. It was more complicated that I initially thought. And not to mention the likes of Blueblood, Trenderhoof and Ragamuffin on my first three Fall Formals."

"Blueblood we know about," said Color Wheel, "but what about the other two?"

"In 2010," Rarity told the kids, "Applejack was one of the freshmen who joined us at CHS, as was Trenderhoof and Caramel. I had a crush on Trenderhoof but he liked Applejack, and Applejack and Caramel liked each other too. This got us in a few tangles and... well, Trenderhoof and I remained as friends. When 2011 rolled around, seemed like all my friends had dates except me. So, I got a bit desperate and I went with Ragamuffin. We weren't each other's type."

"That's harsh," said Gem Light.

"It's just the way the cookie crumbles, as your grandmother would say," Rarity sighed.

"How did you two eventually come together?" asked Color Wheel.

"That's a... rather interesting story," said Math.

"Oh?" Gem Light wondered. "How so?"

"Are you sure you two want to hear this?" asked Rarity.

"You think they're old enough to know?" asked Math.

"Come on, we're fifteen," Color Wheel urged.

"Uh... alright," Rarity sighed. With that, she and Math launched into the tale of how they officially got together.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 8, 2015**

For a little over a year, Rarity Belle and Math Equation have been going steady with each other. It was quite a bumpy ride at first, both had previously been interested in other people and had a few misunderstandings with their friends. However, those hardships had brought them closer together.

"I can't believe Twilight is now an aunt," Rarity was saying to Sunset. "Flurry is just the cutest little thing."

"She really is," said Sunset. "When Flash, Vincent and I came over to see her, Flurry took a hold of Flash's finger and wouldn't let go."

"Sounds like she's become... attached to him already," Rarity giggled.

"Song Cue and Comet have got to introduce Flurry and Mystic," Sunset said. "I think they'd be best friends in future."

"That would be adorable," Rarity agreed, picturing the two babies playing together in her head. "They would be just like kittens in a basket."

"Indeed it would," Sunset nodded. She curiously looked at the date on her phone. "Goodness, is Valentine's Day that close already?"

"Is it?" asked Rarity.

"Yeah," Sunset replied. "It's about a week away, give or take."

"And Math's birthday is a few days after that," said Rarity.

"Doing anything special for that?" asked Sunset.

"I... don't have any plans," Rarity admitted. "But I'm sure something good will happen for Math's birthday."

"Like what?" asked Sunset.

"Not sure, but an idea will hit me when I see it," Rarity assured.

"Hopefully," agreed Sunset. "You and Math have been getting really close."

"Oh yes," Rarity sighed happily. "I can't believe it took us till our final year at high school to go to the Formal together."

"I know what that's like," said Sunset. "Only it was my final Formal and Vincent's third."

"Such is the way when you two are in different year levels," Rarity mused. Suddenly, she heard her phone ring. It was Math Equation.

"Talking of whom..." said Rarity before answering. "Hello?"

" _Hi Rarity,_ " said Math. " _How's it going?_ "

"Oh, Math! I'm doing well, thank you, she answered. "How about you?"

" _I'm doing fine,_ " replied Math. " _Listen, I was wondering if you were doing anything on Valentine's Day?_ "

"Well, I don't have any plans," said Rarity. "At least, not yet."

" _Well, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out?_ " asked Math. " _Maybe have dinner and see a movie._ "

"You mean, like a date?"

" _Yeah, a date._ "

"I'd love to," said Rarity quickly.

" _Great!_ " replied Math. " _What time should I meet with you?_ "

"Shall we say, 6:00?"

" _6:00 sounds good,_ " said Math. " _Well, I guess I'll see you Saturday, if not before then._ "

"Indeed," giggled Rarity. "See you then!"

Sunset overheard the conversation. "Sounds like someone has a date," she remarked. Rarity was about to leave, when Sunset turned to her. "Hey, Rare. Would you like some help to pick out a dress for your date?"

"That's very kind, Sunset." Rarity replied. "But I think I can make something in time for my date."

* * *

Meanwhile, Math and Vincent were hanging out together.

"So, Math," said Vincent. "Your birthday is around the corner."

"Sure is," he replied. "I'm looking forward to it."

"And it's even four days after Valentine's Day," added Vincent.

"That's true," Math nodded. "You and Sunset doing something for that?"

"She's planned a big surprise for us this year," explained Vincent.

"Gotta love surprises," Math chuckled. "Any clues to what it is?"

"Not in the slightest," said Vincent.

"Guess you'll find out when it's time," Math smiled.

"Yeah," said Vincent. "What do you and Rarity have in mind?"

"I don't know yet," Math admitted.

"Why not dinner and a movie?" suggested Vincent.

"That's not a bad idea," agreed Math. "I'll call her and see if she's available." He called Rarity on his phone.

* * *

"Looks like you guys are set," Vincent smiled shortly after the conversation finished.

"Indeed we are," Math nodded. He glanced up at a nearby clock. "Oh, I promised mom I'd be home soon."

"What'd she want you to do?" asked Vincent.

"Mostly chores around the house," said Math.

"Ah, I understand," Vincent nodded.

"I hope to get them out of the way before the Ringo Starr concert," Math said.

"Isn't it on the 13th next month?" asked Vincent.

"It is," said Math. "And it's all the way in sunny San Francisco."

"Oh yeah," Vincent nodded. "I almost forgot it was a long way away. But won't you have to worry about checking into a hotel room or something like that? It takes hours just to get to San Fran."

"That's true," Math nodded. "Bit of a hassle, but it will be worth it."

"You know," said Vincent, "you and Rarity have been so close lately, I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up as a couple like me and Sunset did."

"Funny you should mention that," Math replied. "Song Cue said the same thing last week."

"Did she?"

"She sure did," Math nodded. "In fact, she was part of the reason why Rarity and I went to our final Fall Formal together."

"Good thing that her last Formal was her best," said Vincent, "especially after dealing with a prick like Blueblood."

"Indeed," Math agreed.

"But how do you mean, Song Cue was involved with getting you and Rarity to go to the Fall Formal?" Vincent asked curiously.

"Well, you remember how Song Cue and Fluttershy were seeing Twilight and Flash... hugging each other on Twilight's fifteenth birthday?" Math asked.

"They said something about that, yes," Vincent nodded, remembering.

"Well, they came to the conclusion on their own that I had a crush on Twilight at the time and apologized for not realizing it at the time." Math paused. "Then, soon after Song Cue's sixteenth birthday, I told her I wasn't going to the Formal. She spoke with Rarity about it, and that gave Rarity the idea to go to the Formal with me."

"That was nice of her," said Vincent. "And the rest, I presume, is history."

"That's pretty much it," said Math.

* * *

Meanwhile, Rarity and Sunset had made their way down to the park, taking a walk.

"Things have been going very well so far," said Rarity to Sunset. "I think this next date will be a good one."

"I'm glad to hear that," Sunset smiled. "Say... have you thought about making it official with Math yet?"

"Making it... official?" asked Rarity, sounding nervous.

"You two are deeply in love, aren't you?" Sunset asked.

"W-well," said Rarity, "Math's a really cute enough guy..."

"And things between you two have worked out well enough so far," Sunset pointed out.

"That's true, Sunset," sighed Rarity. "But... I attempted dating three times before I started dating Math. What if something else goes wrong?"

"Well, first we gotta figure out where your previous dating attempts went wrong," Sunset told her. "I think something is very different this time."

"My first dating attempt was Blueblood," said Rarity.

"And why did you want to date him?" Sunset asked.

"I... kind of got the idea that dating an upper class person would be a good idea," Rarity admitted, embarrassed. "He was a very popular student in school, but his behavior did not reflect that at all."

"I see," Sunset nodded. "I know about his behavior all too well. What about Trenderhoof?"

"He was nice to me," Rarity admitted, "but oblivious to my feelings or didn't reciprocate. More interested in Applejack, but she had her eyes on Caramel."

"That mustn't have been pretty," said Sunset.

"Oh yes, it was crazy," sighed Rarity.

"And what about Ragamuffin?" Sunset pressed.

"Well... all my friends had dates for the Formal and I didn't want to be left out, so..." Rarity put a hand to her head. "I think you can guess how that went."

"Ended quite badly," said Sunset. "That 2011 Formal was a mess for many couples."

"Even Fluttershy and Big Macintosh didn't last," Rarity sighed. "I think the only lasting couple from that Formal we know of is Applejack and Caramel."

"And there's Rainbow Dash and Soarin," added Sunset.

"Okay, make that _two_ couples," Rarity corrected. "But regardless, the relationships I attempted until now resulted in falling to pieces."

Sunset was quiet for a moment, taking all the information in.

"So that's how things have gone wrong," she said thoughtfully. "What is it about Math that got you to date him?"

"Well, dating didn't even cross my mind at first," Rarity admitted. "I just became friends with Math and we ended up going to the Formal together as friends."

"That's a nice place to start," said Sunset.

"By the time late November came around," Rarity went on, "I considered Math to be my best guy friend."

"When did you guys start dating exactly?" asked Sunset.

"It's been a while," Rarity admitted. "I'd say it was sometime just before Christmas."

"Right," said Sunset. "So with all that in mind, I think you two will have a long lasting relationship."

"But Sunset," sighed Rarity, "how can I be sure Math and I could take this next step?"

"That all depends," Sunset told her. "Do you feel ready to take it a step further?"

"I... I think I do," Rarity said quietly. "How did it happen between you and Vincent?"

"It was a bit more complicated than that," Sunset admitted. She then whispered what had happened into her friend's ear.

"Oh, really?" Rarity nodded to herself.

"It's kind of an icebreaker," said Sunset.

"That makes sense to me."

"Though if you do try something like that," said Sunset, "just... try not to take it too far, okay?"

"Of course," Rarity nodded. "Just be glad Song Cue didn't hear that. You know how sensitive she can be to these things."

"Right," said Sunset.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 14, 2015**

Before everyone knew it, it was Valentine's Day. Math and Rarity were looking forward to their date, but the former was surprised when Vincent called to meet up with him.

"What'd you call me over for?" asked Math.

"There's something I needed to... uh, speak with you about," Vincent said lamely.

"What about?" asked Math.

"Uh..." Vincent was blank for a moment, trying to think of some excuse. "I... was stuck on ideas on my next painting and thought you had some ideas." Math wasn't buying this excuse.

"You know I've got a date with Rarity soon," sighed Math. "Why don't you ask Sunset for help?"

"Because... er..." Now Vincent really didn't know what to do. _What am I gonna do?_ he thought anxiously. _Math finds out, and it'll all go up in smoke..._

"I've not got time for this, Vincent," sighed Math. "I'm on a tight schedule."

"Well, can you at least give me suggestions?" Vincent queried.

Math thought for a moment. "Hmm... how about a bowl of fruit?" he shrugged.

"Everyone has done bowls of fruit," said Vincent. "Including me."

"Nothing wrong with trying a variant, is there?" asked Math.

"Eh, I guess not," pondered Vincent.

"Is that all you wanted?" asked Math after a brief silence.

"No! I, er..." Vincent quickly conjured up another excuse.

"Now what?!" asked Math, more anxious than before.

"No need to snap!" said Vincent, feeling a bit hurt.

Math started to cool down for a bit. "I'm sorry," he said. "I guess I'm just a bit anxious. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Oh, it's alright," replied Vincent. "Anyway, I needed some help on deciding what fruits to paint." Vincent knew that was a stupid excuse, but then again, he wasn't a very good liar.

Math thought for a moment. "Hmm... maybe apples, oranges, pears, bananas..." He was listing how many fruits he could think of.

 _I wonder how Sunset and Rarity are faring,_ Vincent thought anxiously. _Hopefully they're having better luck than I am..._

* * *

Meanwhile, Rarity was called over by Sunset to help Saffron at the Tasty Treat.

"You wouldn't believe how many people book in their lunch and dinner here on special occasions," Saffron was saying.

"Quite a lot, I'd imagine," said Rarity.

"I'm glad to have some help," smiled Saffron. "It's just a shame I'm an only child. If I had a brother or sister, I'd ask them to assist."

"Comet is already seeing you as a sister," Sunset smiled.

"He did say that to me, yes," Saffron nodded. "He wished that I was his sister instead of his other sisters he had."

"Their behavior is utterly deplorable," said Rarity. "It's as if they have no standards at all."

"I agree," Sunset grunted. "Top Marks was a toxic influence on them and Rare Find and Neon Lights. At least Shooting Star knows where to draw the line."

"He probably spent more time around Mystic Light," Rarity said.

"True enough," Sunset nodded. "Oh, we'd best be quick. Not sure how long Vincent can stall Math."

"How long is it before six?" asked Saffron.

Sunset checked the clock. "About half an hour, I think."

"Hopefully Vincent will keep him at bay until then," said Saffron.

"Best of luck with that," Rarity chuckled.

* * *

"...so we've got ourselves a few pears, surrounded by blackberries, blueberries and cherries," said Vincent.

"Makes a nice little contrast, doesn't it?" said Math. "The smaller fruits balance out the bigger ones."

"Indeed it does," agreed Vincent. He looked up at the clock; it was a few minutes to six. _Where are Sunset and Rarity?_ he thought to himself. Just at that moment, the boys heard a honking noise outside.

"That can't be..." Math said quietly.

"Right on time," Vincent smiled to himself. Rarity and Sunset had just arrived in the former's car.

"You ready, Rarity?" asked Sunset.

"Am I ever," she replied. Smiling, both girls made their way to the door. Rarity and Sunset knocked on the door and Vincent and Math went to answer it.

"Hey, you two," Vincent greeted.

"Hey, Vincent, Math," said Sunset. "Everything is ready."

"What is going on here?" asked Math, totally confused.

"Kind of a long story..." Vincent admitted sheepishly.

"Maybe it's best if we... uh, talk," Rarity said calmly.

"Have fun, you two," said Sunset, with a somewhat forced smile.

 _What does she mean by that?_ Math thought as he and Rarity left the room.

"Was it difficult to keep him distracted?" whispered Sunset to Vincent.

"Very," he confirmed.

"Well, we'll just have to leave these two to their own devices," Sunset said. "If my guess is correct, they'll be officially together by the end of the day."

"Hopefully," said Vincent. "Rarity deserves a man who'll treat her like a lady."

"Math and Rarity will treat each other right," Sunset assured. "We know them well, they know each other well; it will be perfect."

* * *

Meanwhile, Rarity and Math were heading to the Tasty Treat.

"So, what exactly was going on?" asked Math.

"Well..." Rarity hesitated for a moment, trying to piece her words together.

 _This is different from those other times,_ she assured herself. _I'm not rushing myself and both Math and I deeply care about each other._

"I was thinking about us," she said at last. "And maybe... there could be a chance for us to... officially be boyfriend and girlfriend."

"You know..." Math said quietly, "I was thinking about the same thing."

Rarity gave a big smile and almost felt a happy tear run down her face. The two of them got to the Tasty Treat without incident. It was only after she'd parked the car that Rarity could finally let out her emotions.

"Oh, Math," she cried, hugging him. "That's wonderful."

 _Thank goodness it wasn't whilst she was driving,_ Math thought with relief. "So, now that we're official," Math said aloud, "I don't know about you, but I'm a bit hungry. Let's see what looks good on the menu."

* * *

Rarity and Math headed inside the Tasty Treat and found Saffron waiting for them.

"Ah, Rarity, Math," she smiled. "Right on time."

"Hey there, Saffron," said Math.

"I'm so glad you two are here," Saffron said, leading them to their table. "What will you two be having tonight?"

"I may have the butter chicken," said Math.

"That'll be our _murg makhani_ ," said Saffron.

"What's _malai kofta_?" asked Rarity, looking at the menu.

"Not sure," Math shrugged.

"They're a bit like vegetarian meatballs," explained Saffron.

"Sounds nice to me," Rarity told her.

"Excellent." Saffron went to run the order to her dad.

"So, this is our first date as an official couple," Rarity said to Math. "What do you think?"

"It looks very nice on the inside," said Math, looking around the Tasty Treat. "The decor looks lovely."

"Pinkie had the same first impression," Rarity told him. "We came across this place quite by accident when looking for somewhere to eat for lunch."

"What was going on with the restaurant when you first met Saffron and her dad?" asked Math.

"Well," Rarity began, "Coriander was starting out his restaurant, but business was a bit of a struggle with neighboring restaurants in the area. Pinkie and I tried to help them out."

"How so?" asked Math.

"Saffron and Pinkie went out to try and get customers," she went on, "and I helped Saffron's dad... redesign the place." She said the last part with hesitation.

"Why'd you do that?"

"There was this food critic that I thought was a good idea for the restaurant at the time," Rarity sighed. "But... it turned out to be a big mistake."

"Food critic?" asked Math. "You're not talking about Zesty Gourmand, are you?"

"Yes..." Rarity felt ashamed. "Pinkie and Saffron both helped me realize that the restaurant was perfect the way it was. So they redecorated the place back to this look, while I got the customers to come here."

"And that helped to save the restaurant?" asked Math.

"It did indeed," said Rarity.

"And whatever happened to Zesty Gourmand?"

"I'm not sure," said Rarity. "But I sent her packing when she tried to interrupt the meals the customers were eating. Some of them were restaurant owners who were restricted by Zesty's guidelines and finally broke free." At that moment, Saffron arrived.

"Here's your meals," she smiled.

"Thanks, Saffron," said Math.

"Anytime." Saffron hurried off back to work. Math was the first to try out his meal.

"How is it?" asked Rarity.

"Not bad," answered Math after his first bite. "How's yours?"

"It's very good," she replied.

After each of them finished their meals, Saffron returned. "How were your meals?" she asked.

"Very good," replied Math. "You know, this is my first time trying an Indian cuisine."

"Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it," said Saffron, handing them their bill. Math was about to pull out his wallet, but Rarity insisted she'd pay for their meals. "Then you can pay for the movie tickets," she added.

"What movie are you going to see?" asked Saffron.

"We don't know yet," replied Math. "We'll need to see what's playing first."

With that, Rarity paid for the meals, and she and Math headed over to the movie theater.

* * *

"The movie theater is quite close by," Rarity smiled. "Maybe we should walk?"

"Sure, why not?" said Math. "Is that why you chose the Tasty Treat for us to dine?"

"It sure is," Rarity nodded. "And also the fact that Saffron and Coriander promised us a reservation for the evening."

"That would make sense," Math agreed. "What movie are we going to see this evening?"

"I was thinking _Paddington_ , maybe."

"Isn't it miles away just to get there?" asked Math.

"No, no," Rarity laughed. "Paddington is a fictional bear named after the station he was found at. Have you been reading the Railway Series again?"

"Kind of," said Math sheepishly.

"It's fine," Rarity nodded. "Song Cue showed me _Gordon Goes Foreign_ recently too."

"I wonder if Song Cue ended up going to that railfan show Vincent and I met up at," Math wondered as they headed out to the movie theater. It was only a few minutes before they arrived.

"Good evening," said the vendor as Math and Rarity walked up to the ticket booth. "What shall it be tonight?"

" _Paddington_ , please," said Rarity as Math paid for the tickets.

"Eighth screen, on your right," said the vendor, giving them the tickets.

"I think this will be cute," said Rarity.

"You did say it was about a teddy bear," Math replied. "Don't know how you can get cuter than that."

"Sweetie Belle had one when she was a baby," said Rarity.

"Aww, that's so sweet," smiled Math. "I wish I could have seen that." Both of them took their seats in the theater.

"I've heard this movie was based on a book series," Rarity told Math. "Never owned any of them myself."

"Me neither," said Math.

"I guess it's a total surprise for both of us then." Soon, the couple sat down in the theater in time for the previews. Both enjoyed the film overall. There were funny moments, there were sad moments, and there were plenty of heartwarming moments.

"I was not expecting Paddington's uncle to die at the start," Rarity sighed.

"He must've been a great bear," agreed Math.

"Indeed," Rarity nodded. "I just wanted to hug Paddington and Lucy..."

"Good thing Mrs. Brown was so welcoming to Paddington," Math pointed out.

"Could you blame her?" Rarity chuckled. "You see an adorable looking little bear at a railway station, you'd be tempted to bring him home."

"I would do the same," Math agreed.

"That Millicent was scary though," Rarity gulped. "I thank my lucky stars Sweetie Belle and Fluttershy weren't here to see that."

"At least she got what was coming to her," Math pointed out.

"It was funny seeing her getting attacked by pigeons," Rarity chuckled. The two of them started heading back to the car.

* * *

As they left the theater, a thought came across Rarity's mind about her past relationships and how they ended up in shreds. _I wouldn't want the same thing to happen between me and Math too,_ she thought.

Math noticed that his girlfriend was a bit quiet on the ride home. "Rarity?" he asked. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh yes," said Rarity. "I was wondering, did you want to spend some time at my place for a bit?"

"Sure," replied Math, but he wasn't sure why.

* * *

It wasn't long before they got to Rarity's house. It was light blue with golden curtains, a light purple roof and was shaped like a carousel from the outside.

"Nice place," said Math as they drove up.

"Thank you," said Rarity, getting out of the car. She and Math went to the front door and she unlocked it.

"Welcome to the Belle household, Math," said Rarity as they walked inside. "This is our living room."

"Very nice," remarked Math. He then noticed that they weren't alone; Rarity's parents Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles were also in the room as well as the youngest Belle daughter, Sweetie.

"Well, g'evening, Rarity!" called Hondo in a strong Midwestern accent. "Who's this fine young fella you brought wit' ya?"

Rarity introduced him. "Mother, father," she said, "this is my boyfriend Math Equation."

"Nice to meet ya, Math," said Cookie Crumbles (who also had a Midwestern accent).

"Likewise," replied Math, shaking the couple's hands.

"Hi there, Math," said Sweetie Belle. Math turned to her.

"Hey, Sweetie Belle," he said, giving her a hug. "Been a while, hasn't it?"

"Yeah," said Sweetie Belle. "What'd you bring him here for, Rarity?"

"Oh, the two of us had dinner and saw a movie," Rarity said simply. "And we made our relationship official."

"Aww!" Sweetie Belle smiled. "I knew it would happen eventually. Way to go, sis."

"You think this relationship will last this time?" asked Cookie Crumbles.

"I'm sure of it," said Rarity. "I've known Math long enough."

"If you're certain with your choice, dear," said Hondo Flanks, "I gladly welcome Math here anytime."

"I'm sure my family will do the same with you, Rarity," Math replied. "Heck, Masked Puck's a real softie when it comes to kids."

"That's great to hear," Sweetie Belle grinned.

* * *

After meeting the rest of the family, Rarity showed Math the rest of the house; the kitchen, the bathrooms, her workshop, the bedrooms for Sweetie Belle and her parents...

"...and this," she said, "is my own bedroom." The bedroom wasn't very huge, with pale purple walls, velvet curtains and a fancy bed with the middle with a red bedsheet on top, but it was still spacious enough to move around in.

"It looks very nice," said Math. He didn't notice Rarity close and lock the door behind him.

"I'm glad you think so, darling," she said, and started kissing him on the lips.

 _Whoa,_ though Math, blushing hard. _She's kissing me. Why's she doing it? I haven't done anything wrong, have I?_

He wanted to say something to Rarity, but nothing came to mind.

"Enjoying this, darling?" asked Rarity in between kisses.

"Uh-huh," nodded Math. Then he noticed Rarity taking off her shoes and then putting them aside, and then she took off her hairpin. Now Math was beginning to feel sweaty; what was she doing?

Rarity then took off her waist belt. After setting it on her bed, she then took off the rest of her dress. Now Math was looking redder than Sunset's hair; Rarity had nothing to cover her chest with! Poor Math was blushing so hard he couldn't speak or think. His vision blurred and then he fell to the floor with a thud.

* * *

" _Math? Are you alright, darling?_ " Upon hearing Rarity's voice, Math slowly woke up.

"What happened?" he groaned. Once he regained he senses, he noticed that Rarity was now wearing a white shirt and purple skirt, but still had no shoes on.

"Rarity!" exclaimed Math, giving her a hug. Rarity was taken aback by this sudden movement.

"Are you alright, Math?" she asked again.

"I had this weird dream," he told her. "You took me into your house and led me to your room, and you..." He wanted to say more, but couldn't find the words. Rarity looked away with embarrassment.

"That... wasn't a dream," she admitted sheepishly.

"It wasn't?"

"No," said Rarity. "I did strip in front of you."

"Why did you do that?" asked Math. _Not that I minded,_ he thought.

Rarity took a deep breath. "You know about the guys I dated in the past?"

"I think so," answered Math. "Vladimir Blueblood, Trenderhoof and..."

"Ragamuffin," said Rarity.

"That's right! Kinda forgot there," chuckled Math. "Why do you bring them up?"

"Well, let's just say that I haven't had the best relationships with them as I would have liked."

Math remembered Rarity's story about her date with Blueblood. "What about Trenderhoof?" he wanted to know.

"Well, he seemed to be more interested in Applejack, even though she was already dating Caramel," said Rarity. "Actually, she still is."

Math nodded. "And Ragamuffin? I don't think I've met him."

"You wouldn't have. He was a foreign exchange student from England. He left before you moved to Rainbow Falls."

"That must be why then."

"Anyway," Rarity continued, "I met him on a boat trip, and he seemed really nice. He was quite a dancer, too."

"So what happened to him?" asked Math.

"I never saw him again after that," sighed Rarity. "I expect he went back to England after that."

"So none of those relationships ended because of you," concluded Math. "Were you worried that ours would end up the same way?"

"I was," said Rarity. "Sometimes relationships don't work out in the end. I mean, look at Big Mac and Fluttershy. We all assumed they would end up together, but Big Mac is now with Sugar Belle. And... well, Fluttershy hasn't found another yet."

"That may be true, Rarity," Math said quietly, "but we won't know what our relationship could be unless we try. And we'll work through our challenges together."

Rarity thought about this for a moment. Math did have a good point. She couldn't let an opportunity like this go under the radar, and it did seem like she and Math did have a good chance.

"In that case, Math," Rarity smiled, "let's see what the future holds for us."

The two of them gave a big hug, thinking about what may be in store for them in the coming years...

* * *

 **AUGUST 8, 2038**

"Whoa..." the twins gasped.

"That's quite a story," said Gem Light.

"You're telling me," said Color Wheel.

"I bet it was smooth sailing from there on out, right mom and dad?" asked Gem Light.

"More or less," replied Math.

"There were a few... bumps down the road however," Rarity admitted. "Spike still had a massive crush on me."

"He did get over that, didn't he?" asked Color Wheel. "I mean, he did marry Morning Roast."

"That he did," said Rarity. "Though it took only a year before he found out."

"Ooh, that sounds like it hit him hard..." said Gem Light. "But how did that happen?"

"Ah," answered Math. "That's a story for another night. Right now, I think it's time for you two to go to bed."

"Okay," said Color Wheel. "Goodnight, Mom. Goodnight Dad." And he and Gem Light went off to their rooms.

Rarity looked up at the clock. It said 10:04 PM. "Goodness!" she gasped. "Is it that time already?"

"I guess we were so caught up in telling the young ones our story that we didn't notice," said Math as he wrapped his arms around his wife from behind.

Rarity gave out a squeak as he pressed his hands around her abdomen. "Remember that night we became a couple?" she asked her husband. "You said we didn't know what our relationship would be unless we try and work through our challenges together."

Math nodded. "And here we are, twenty-three years later," he replied, gently kissing the back of Rarity's neck. "Happily married with two beautiful kids, and we just can't get enough of each other."

Rarity smiled in agreement.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTE**

 **Rarity references _Spice Up Your Life_ when talking to Math about the Tasty Treat.**


	48. TR&FOAC6 - Working Class Hero

Here's the last of the six chapters I'd written up before managing to catch up again. Right now, I'm working on chapter seven, and when I finish up chapter eight, seven will be posted. The last chapter posted, as of right now, is now the third longest chapter in the series overall, only behind "The World Tonight" and "Jet", both from _Song of the Comet_.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 6 - Working Class Hero (Lennon, 1970)**

 **FEBRUARY 17, 2015**

The following week was going to be one of the most stressful for everyone in Rainbow Falls.

"The election isn't this soon, is it?" asked Song Cue to Twilight.

"I'm afraid it is," said Twilight. "It's been on the last Tuesday of February since 1931." School was out for the week, and so Twilight was visiting the Cue household.

"Oh dear..." Orange sighed. "Our first vote. This is not going to go down too well."

"Not a bit," agreed Twilight. "I guess Comet's kind of lucky to not have to vote this year."

"Indeed," Song Cue nodded. "And it will be ages before my little sister or cousin have to worry about it."

"Hey, I'm in high school with you," Heartsong pouted. "I'm not little."

"I am older than you, so technically, you are going to be my little sister no matter what," chuckled Song Cue.

"And I'm still the older twin, Songs," Orange laughed, causing Song Cue to roll her eyes.

"I wonder if the Cake twins feel this way," Twilight said to herself. "The poor things. And Flurry Heart as well."

"Such innocent souls," said Heartsong.

"Let's not think about this election too much," said Comet, who was cuddling Mystic Light on the couch. "Besides, I doubt Cinch will get very far."

"Yeah, her approval ratings are at ankle height," said Orange.

"I'll say," Song Cue agreed. "I wouldn't be surprised if Starlight cursed her in her resting place."

"Can people even do that in the afterlife?" Twilight asked.

"Maybe," Song Cue gave a laugh. "I was joking."

"Election should go smoothly," Heartsong said with confidence. "What could possibly go wrong?"

* * *

Meanwhile, Abacus Cinch was at home, reading a book, but she wasn't paying much attention to the story.

"I just checked the current votes, and I barely have any!" she grunted. "Why don't people see I am mayor material? I could do a far better job than that spineless optimist Marion Weseluck!"

Cinch grunted and got up. There was a good chance that her niece Starlight was laughing at her right now. The thought of that further infuriated Cinch.

"There has to be something I can do to turn things in my favor," she muttered. Cinch got out of her house and walked down to another house a few doors down and knocked.

 _Perhaps she could be of use,_ she thought to herself as the door opened.

The door opened revealing a girl roughly around Masked Puck's age. She had a mix of blue and green in her hair and scarlet red eyes. Despite her age, she looked a lot younger than people would believe.

"Cozy Blush," smiled Cinch. "So good to see you."

"Mi-Miss Cinch." Cozy Blush looked up to Cinch a lot. This was mostly because her mother had left her when she was a baby and her father, Svengallop, was barely there for her.

"I-is there a reason you wanted t-to see me?"

"I need help, my protegee," Cinch told her. "I am currently running for the position of mayor."

"Not doing so hot?" asked Cozy Blush.

"You could say that."

"I'm sure I could lend a hand with getting more votes for you," Cozy said in a tone that was almost too sweet.

"What is it exactly that you've got in mind?" asked Cinch.

"Well, at first glance, I'm not as old as I look, right?" Cozy began.

"That is very true, Cozy," Cinch nodded.

"Well, it's also common for kids to beg their parents for a chocolate bar or a new puppy," Cozy continued. "So maybe I could use my 'childlike' charms to work people who haven't voted yet onto your side."

Cinch nodded thoughtfully. "Not a bad idea, Cozy."

"I know," said Cozy. "It works every time; those gullible fools will have no idea what will hit them." Cinch grinned as she shook hands with Cozy Blush.

"When can I start doing this, Cinch?" asked Cozy.

"The sooner, the better."

Satisfied that she got Cozy Blush supporting her, Cinch decided to get in contact with an old friend; Spoiled Rich.

* * *

Spoiled Rich's life had taken a turn for the worse following her divorce from Filthy Rich. He had taken full custody over their daughter, Diamond Tiara, and Spoiled Rich had to live in a lowly cottage in the suburbs. She hated it; losing her family was one thing, but being forced to live among the working class was even worse.

"Why couldn't I have that glamorous life anymore?" she muttered to herself. "How dare that Filthy Rich kick me out!"

"Life hasn't been going well," came Cinch's voice as she came up to her.

"Abacus Cinch," said Spoiled Rich without looking up. "One of our candidates for mayor in a coffee shop."

"I don't have that many votes," she grunted.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" said Spoiled Rich.

"Most people don't have good tastes," Cinch muttered.

"Quite right!" said Spoiled Rich. "Especially not those boys who didn't try to find girlfriends; I'd still be married if it wasn't for them and their friends!"

Cinch blinked curiously. "Who now?"

"Sandpaper and Chip Trot," Spoiled Rich grunted. Of course, she was well off the mark, but she didn't care.

"Children these days," Cinch grunted. "So rebellious."

"And they follow that 60's philosophy that all you need is love," added Spoiled Rich. "Pfft. More like they need a job and a haircut. They look like hippies."

"If I were mayor," Cinch told Spoiled, "I wouldn't allow for gay marriage to occur."

"That will be a good thing for our little town," Spoiled smiled. "You know, one of Diamond's little friends, the one with spiky pink hair and a twin brother, she has a pair of aunts who are married."

"When did they marry?" asked Cinch.

"Sometime after the twins' mother gave birth," Spoiled grunted. "Apparently they live close by their house."

"And Marion Weseluck did nothing about it?" Cinch rolled her eyes. "I figured she was too soft."

"Just like her brain," quipped Spoiled Rich. Cinch laughed at Spoiled's joke. Though if anyone else heard it, both would have been pelted with tomatoes.

"I'll need help to be able to become the next mayor," Cinch told her. "Would you be willing to lend a hand?"

"What do you want me to do?" asked Spoiled.

"Well, if people aren't convinced to vote for me, I'll need the system to be rigged in my favor," Cinch told her. "Did you have any strategies in mind?"

"Hmm, interesting proposition, Cinch," Spoiled nodded thoughtfully.

"Maybe when no one is looking," said Spoiled, "I can add more votes to your count." Both women were each others' faces so nobody could hear them.

"That is a good idea, Spoiled," Cinch grinned. They both maintained their best casual faces as they thought about this devious idea.

* * *

Later on in the day, Cinch ran into Chrysalis down at the shop by accident. Chrysalis was a rather shady person, and her two sons Pharynx and Thorax were swiftly taken in by her brother and sister-in-law Topaz Shine and Sapphire respectively, to raise alongside their kids Ocellus, Ruby and Emerald.

"Cinch, fancy meeting you here," Chrysalis spoke.

"I could say the same thing," Cinch agreed. "How's life been treating you?"

"Not great," said Chrysalis.

"What's gotten into you?" asked Cinch.

"Just last week, I was minding my own business, then I saw my sons with their cousins and aunt and uncle in a cafe. I decided to try again to get my sons back under my control, but Thorax stood up to me!" Chrysalis groaned. "I swear, that Ocellus was a bad influence on him. He's so protective of her."

"Wow, and you always said Thorax was the quiet one under your roof," Cinch said quietly.

"You're telling me," said Chrysalis. "Not only that, Ocellus, Ruby and Emerald have made Phyanx softer as well. He was hugging them during the confrontation between Thorax and I."

"Ugh, did someone switch their brains or something?" groaned Cinch.

"I doubt it," said Chrysalis. "I didn't see any stitches from surgery."

"I was being hyperbolic there," replied Cinch.

"Oh." Chrysalis gave an embarrassed cough. "Anyway, has life been treating you better?"

"You mean after my niece was taken from me?" asked Cinch.

"Er... yes," Chrysalis nodded, realizing the bitterness in her friend's tone.

"Things have gotten worse," Cinch groaned, and told her how her votes for mayor weren't very high.

"What's that got to do with me?" asked Chrysalis.

"Well, you don't want Marion Weseluck to take over as mayor again, do you?" asked Cinch. "Do you know of her weaknesses?"

"Hmm... I've never had a reason to look into it," Chrysalis said truthfully. "But now that you mention it, I will."

"There's only one week before election day," said Cinch. "That should be enough time to exploit Weseluck's weaknesses."

"I'm on it." Cinch now felt confident. With three tactful people on her side, the position of mayor was as good as hers.

* * *

Throughout the week, Cozy Blush was out in public places. She would go in playgrounds and the like, posing as a child so she could hang out with kids, and get them to start talking with their parents on who to vote for.

"My old parents abused me a lot," Cozy was saying to a set of twins, "but Cinch took me in as one of her own, and loved me as her daughter."

"Cinch?" asked one of the twins. "She saved you?"

"She did indeed," said Cozy.

"Wow," said the other twin. "That's amazing."

"It really is," said Cozy. "She's an amazing mother figure."

"We should tell our mommy and daddy to vote for her," said the first twin.

"My mom would appreciate that a lot," smiled Cozy. "Thank you for your consideration." _Gullible brats,_ she thought wickedly to herself. _Cinch will be proud of me._

* * *

Meanwhile, Chrysalis was keeping her eye on Marion Weseluck.

"It would be easier if I could shape-shift into a rock or something," she muttered. "What is it that makes her tick?"

Marion lived in a decent sized house with a close friend of hers, Burnt Oak, a long time friend of the deceased father of the Apple siblings, Bright Macintosh.

"How was your day, Marion?" asked Burnt Oak.

"It's been good," Marion smiled. "Being mayor is no easy task, but doing your part to help the town is satisfying in the end."

"I'll bet," said Burnt Oak.

"There's a lot of people running for mayor this year," Marion went on. "Especially the infamous Abacus Cinch."

"There's only a select few in this town foolish enough to vote for her," Burnt Oak said reassuringly. "Besides, you tend to treat the people in this town as your friends. People need to be able to be comfortable with their mayor."

"I guess you're right," smiled Marion. "I wouldn't mind if I don't remain as mayor, so long as Cinch doesn't get the position."

"Ugh, these two act like they're married or something," Chrysalis muttered quietly. But then, she had a thought. "Wait... That's it. Marion's weakness is Burnt Oak." Chrysalis then grinned wickedly to herself. "Ohh, wait until Cinch hears about this. I'm sure she'll find a way to break her..."

* * *

Spoiled Rich, meanwhile, was with a few co-workers of hers. Ever since the divorce, she'd found herself working at a fast food restaurant known as the Steamed Porker and did not enjoy working there at all; however, she needed money in order to avoid living on the streets, so she had to make do.

"My divorce was the worst thing that could have happened to me," she complained.

"I think you had it coming," said one of her co-workers; it was Candy Mane. She was one of the younger workers, but had proven herself capable of cooking very well.

"Agreed," said Cherry Blossom, Cheerilee's twin sister. "You shouldn't have pushed your daughter to be a bully, or be rude to your husband, or say hurtful stuff about Micro Chips and Sandalwood."

"They were acting out of line!" Spoiled snapped.

"Let's just forget her," Candy Mane told Cherry Blossom gently. "She isn't worth our strife."

"Easier said than done," said Cherry Blossom.

"Why did she join here anyway?" muttered Candy Mane.

"Apparently to keep herself off the streets," Cherry Blossom.

"With the way she acts, I'm surprised our boss keeps her on," Candy Mane sighed.

"The sooner I get rich again, the better," Spoiled grunted.

* * *

Sometime later, the four of them met up at Cinch's place.

"So," Cinch told her group, "any luck at all?"

"Kids are easy to fool," Cozy Blush grinned. "I told them you saved me from abusive parents."

"Good," said Cinch. "What about you, Chrysalis?"

"It seems that Marion has a weakness," she replied. "Burnt Oak lives with her, and while they aren't married, she cares deeply about him."

"Now that's juicy," said Cinch.

"Why didn't they get married?" Cozy asked, very confused.

"Goodness knows why," said Spoiled Rich. "Living with a man you're not married to just sounds wrong."

"Marriage is overrated," grunted Chrysalis, ignoring the fact she _was_ married at one point in her life.

"Election day won't be far off," said Spoiled.

"I trust you'll be able to do what you need to."

"I shall indeed," said Spoiled Rich.

"That Marion won't know what hit her," Cozy laughed.

"We'll just sit back and watch the fun unfold," Chrysalis chuckled. The four of them then departed for home for the night. It was the calm before the storm.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 24, 2015**

Election day came faster than anyone anticipated. All those old enough to vote did so; this, of course, included some Canterlot High senior students. They could vote after classes for the day were done.

"Obviously, I'm gonna vote for Marion Weseluck," said Vincent to Song Cue and Twilight. "No one would be crazy enough to vote for Cinch."

"Agreed," said Song Cue. "Someone ought to be insane for that."

"If Cinch were to take over," said Twilight, "it would be nothing more than a dictatorship."

"It would be disastrous, if it were to happen," Orange Sherbet agreed, walking over to them. "But we all know it won't happen."

"Orange is right," said Twilight. "We've nothing to worry about."

As the quartet's discussion moved to other, more trivial matters, another girl older than them strolled over. She had a strong resemblance to Sandbar's mother, Shellheart.

"I see you guys have become of age to vote," she said simply.

"Is there a problem with that?" asked Vincent. He didn't like the girl's tone of voice.

"Just who are you?" asked Twilight with suspicion.

"Do you know Sandbar?" she said. "I'm his older sister."

"We're friends of his, yeah," said Song Cue.

"Wait a tic," Orange breathed, almost a whisper to Vincent and the girls. "Sandbar said he had an older sister, Vignette. And they aren't that close."

"Ooh, no wonder we hadn't met her before," Twilight realized.

"I put my vote in," Vignette went on. "Mine was for Cinch." Vincent had been drinking from his water bottle when Vignette said that, and he spat it out in surprise; some of it went on Vignette's face.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" she retorted.

"Sorry," coughed Vincent. "But voting for Cinch?! Are you nuts?! That woman is deranged!"

"If she wasn't a good principal," said Twilight, "what makes you think she'd be a good mayor?"

"She did well as principal to me," Vignette retorted. "You guys never were there when she was."

"But my older brother Shining Armor was," said Twilight. "As was my sister-in-law Cadance; one of their close friends nearly committed suicide because of Cinch!"

"If that really did happen, Cinch would have been dealt with immediately," Vignette told her.

"It _did_ happen!" argued Twilight, shocked at the older girl's ignorance.

"Suicide is no joking matter," said Song Cue.

"Do you think others may have been foolish enough to vote for Cinch too?" asked Orange to his friends and sister.

"I hope not," sighed Vincent.

"If others have, we're doomed," sighed Song Cue.

* * *

The clock ticked by, and all those who had voted anxiously awaited the announcement on the news. Still, there was confidence from a majority that Marion Weseluck would be elected into a second term.

" _Welcome to Rainbow Falls Nightly News,_ " said the reporter. " _The time has come for a new mayor to be elected._ "

"You okay, Twily?" asked Shining Armor, noticing his little sister was hardly touching her burger. He, Cadance and little Flurry Heart had come round for dinner.

"N-not really," said Twilight.

"What's up, little sister-in-law?" asked Cadance. "You can tell us anything."

"Vincent, Song Cue, Orange and I have seen Sandbar's older sister while we were voting," Twilight told them.

"You mean Vignette Valencia?" asked Shining Armor.

"You went to school with her?" asked Twilight.

"Unfortunately," sighed Cadance.

"How someone as compassionate as Sandbar or as placid as Beach Comb can be related to Vignette is a mystery," Shining added.

"I have to agree," said Twilight. "And... Vignette also voted for Cinch."

"She did not!" exclaimed Shining Armor.

"We all had the same reaction, big brother," sighed Twilight. "What made it even more infuriating was how little she cared for the fact that Spearhead almost..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence in Flurry Heart's presence.

"No wonder Sandbar, Beach Comb and their parents don't talk about her," Twilight Velvet grunted.

"I'm sure it's a fluke, Twilight," said Night Light comfortingly. "Besides, I'm sure the police department can get Cinch if she causes more problems."

" _The last few votes have been counted._ " The Sparkle family turned their attention back to the TV, Flurry Heart clutching her "whammy". " _And the new mayor is..._ " The reporter paused, and her voice was shaky. " _Abacus Cinch._ "

"Song Cue's right," gulped Twilight. "We're doomed."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Cozy Blush is a composite of Cozy Glow and Wallflower Blush. Their personalities seemed similar enough to have her as one character. She also suffers from achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that results in dwarfism.**

 **Twilight's final line in the chapter is based off of "Zecora's right, we're doomed" from _Swarm of the Century_.**

 **Cherry Blossom is Cheerliee's twin sister from the comics.**


	49. TR&FOAC7 - Ebony and Ivory

So now here we are with the seventh chapter, as well as the midpoint, of _Rise and Fall_. Cinch has become mayor of Rainbow Falls, but how is everyone taking it? Well...

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 7 - Ebony and Ivory (McCartney, 1982)**

 **FEBRUARY 25, 2015**

"This is absolutely outrageous!" exclaimed Vincent over lunch break.

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Fluttershy, her voice quivering.

"Who knows _what_ we can do?" sighed Moon Dancer. "Once Cinch becomes mayor on May the 18th, Rainbow Falls is pretty much done for."

"Cinch bought her way in rather than actually getting voted for!" said Vincent. "She's a cheapskate and an abuser!"

"I can't believe my sister would vote for her," groaned Sandbar.

"But Beach Comb is only in preschool," said Silverstream, not understanding.

"He means Vignette Valencia," explained Twilight.

"She does sound like bad news if you never mention her, Sandbar," Gallus admitted.

"She never talked to me that much, and Beach Comb may have had it worse if Vignette stuck around," Sandbar sighed. "But surely a couple of votes from people like her can't have gotten that far."

"It just wasn't possible," said Twilight. "Cinch had a very low approval percentage, and for her to suddenly win just feels wrong."

"How did that happen anyway?" asked Comet Tail.

"Maybe allies of Cinch trick others," suggested Yona.

"Could be," said Orange Sherbet. "But who'd be crazy enough to follow her?"

"My aunt Chrysalis would," Ocellus put in; her eyes were stinging with tears. Smolder, who was the one sitting next to Ocellus, gently pulled her in for a hug.

"Chrysalis may have been, but you aren't anything like that beast," Smolder said comfortingly. "And I'm sure everyone will put a stop to this in no time."

Ocellus sniffled a bit and wiped a tear away. "I hope so. Thank you, Smolder."

* * *

" _Oh, Abacus; you won't believe what I did,_ " Spoiled giggled. She was talking to Cinch over the phone.

"What is it?" asked Cinch.

" _I swapped the polls. Anyone who voted for Marion actually went over to you,_ " Spoiled explained.

"Well done, Spoiled," Cinch grinned. "Oh, and there's one other thing; did anybody suspect you when you swapped our names around in the polls?"

" _Not at the moment,_ " Spoiled admitted. " _If we're careful, nothing should crop up._ "

"I hope nothing does," Cinch sighed. "Still, in about three months, Rainbow Falls is going to be cleaned up!"

" _I look forward to it._ "

"So do I."

" _I'll talk with you later, Abacus,_ " said Spoiled Rich. " _I've got to get dinner started._ "

"Okay, see you later." The call cut off and Cinch smiled to herself. "This will be easy."

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 28, 2015**

On the weekend following the elections, Twilight and Flash were eating out at a cafe with Vincent, Sunset, Math, Rarity, Song Cue and Comet Tail.

"I'm not sure about the rest of you, but I think we all needed a good snack after all that," sighed Song Cue.

"Agreed," said Comet. "It's just so hard to consider. I mean, Cinch as our mayor?"

"It's gonna be like a bull in a china shop," said Flash.

"Rainbow Falls will be in deep water," Rarity gulped. "Of all the worst things that could happen, this is the! Worst! Possible! Thing!"

Everyone looked at her with bemusement.

"...what? I really mean it this time!"

"Admittedly, she does have a point," said Math. "This is bad news."

"But do we have any clue on what to do about this?" asked Sunset.

"We could try to get a re-election," Flash suggested.

"Easier said than done," said Vincent. "That may not be for another four years... if possible."

"Maybe we should get Night Light and Shining Armor to look into things," Song Cue put in. "I don't think Cinch would become mayor fairly."

"Dad and Shining are already looking into things," Twilight told them, "but nothing has been found yet."

"Your dad, huh?" said another voice.

"Yes..." Twilight trailed, not sure what to make of the statement. She turned around to see a girl about the same age as Morning Roast, with dark pink hair and green highlights.

"Hey, doesn't she go to the same school that Indigo Zap went to?" Song Cue asked.

"You know her?" asked the other girl in surprise.

"I've known her cousins Rainbow Dash and Prism Strike when I was little," Song Cue explained.

"Why doesn't Dash bring her up that often?" asked Vincent.

"Long story..." Song Cue sighed.

"I see..." the other girl muttered to herself. "You didn't happen to talk about our new mayor, did you?"

"We might have," answered Twilight. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I couldn't help but overhear you say that she shouldn't be mayor," the other girl commented distastefully. "Not that I'm one to judge people for their political views..."

"We just don't think she should be mayor," said Twilight bluntly. "You can have your opinion, and we can have ours."

"Did I ask for _your_ opinion, mongrel?" snarled the other girl. This remark offended Twilight, and left her friends in a state of shock and disgust.

"Keep your mouth shut, you utter twat!" snapped Flash.

"Not cool at all!" added Song Cue (though her comment was also directed at Flash's choice of insult to the other girl).

"I know!" exclaimed Flash. "No one calls my girl a mongrel and gets away with it!"

Song Cue took a deep breath. "While I do agree that her comment was uncalled for," she told Flash, "your remark wasn't any better."

"She's got a point," said Comet. "If this girl is rude, she isn't worth our time."

"It's Sour Sweet!" she growled indignantly. "Don't you know it's rude to bush off someone before they formally introduce themselves?"

"You didn't introduce yourself when you butted in," Vincent pointed out. "Now _that's_ rudeness."

"Leave us to be in peace, please!" Rarity said firmly.

Sour Sweet couldn't think of a reasonable response (not that it _would_ be reasonable anyway), and sulked away from the group.

"What's her problem?" asked Sunset.

"Maybe Crystal Prep wasn't a good high school," Song Cue suggested.

"I suppose so," said Twilight. "Didn't Novo quit working there?"

"I heard that she did," said Math Equation.

"If that school had all their students like that, it wouldn't surprise me," Flash said in agreement. "Still, he added, turning to Twilight, "don't let Sour Sweet's words get to you. We all love you regardless of what color your skin is."

"Thanks, Flash." Twilight gave him a hug.

"Besides, Twilight, don't forget some of us have mixed ancestry too," Song Cue put in.

"Yeah, there's no person in Rainbow Falls, let alone planet Earth, who wasn't descended from Adam and Eve," agreed Comet.

"You're right," Twilight smiled. "We can't let people get us down."

* * *

Despite Twilight and her small group's relatively uneventful trip to the Sweet Shoppe, unrest began spreading round Rainbow Falls. One of the main groups to be hit by this were gay couples.

"With Cinch as mayor," said Lofty to Holiday, "what would she do to us?"

"I... I don't know," Holiday gulped. "Celestia mentioned that punishments Cinch did at Canterlot High were barbaric and that a student nearly committed suicide."

"What Cinch might do to us could be worse," said Lofty. "We could end up in jail over it."

"But you can't!" cried Scootaloo; she had been visiting her aunts with First Base. "You two are amazing and caring individuals."

"You were there for us since we were babies," First Base added. "You helped mom raise us when she had to work."

"And we're very lucky to have a niece and nephew who love us no matter what," said Lofty. "But not everyone has the same compassion you two or our step-nephews and step-niece have."

* * *

At the park, Sandalwood, Micro Chips, Trixie and Cherry Crash were not faring much better.

"We're not going to last very long with her as mayor..." Micro Chips whispered.

"You're telling me," said Trixie. "That woman is a complete nutjob!"

"That's one way of putting it," Cherry Crash admitted.

"Do we have to hide ourselves until next election?" asked Sandalwood.

"We shouldn't have to stand for that!" said Trixie. "You can't arrest people just for their sexuality; we didn't choose to be gay or bisexual!"

"Trixie's right," said Cherry Crash. "But how do we put this right?"

"We should rebel and take Cinch off the position as mayor," Trixie suggested.

"Or we could start small and protest for our rights as LGBT people," said Micro Chips.

"I guess that works too," Sandalwood agreed. "But how do we do it?"

"We could try protesting with signs outside Cinch's office," Trixie suggested.

"I suppose it's worth a shot," said Micro Chips.

* * *

Celestia was a bit tense since the election announcement, and she only left the house out of necessity. Luna felt worried for her older sister.

"Sister," Luna said gently, "you aren't yourself. I know why you are worried. I am too."

"I wish we could do something," sighed Celestia. "But it isn't in our power..."

"It surely was one thing to report her during her time as principal of Canterlot High," agreed Luna.

"But we are not people who work in politics," Celestia sighed. "We just work in education."

"The whole town will be thrown into chaos," Luna agreed. "Had we been involved with politics, I can guarantee that things would be a lot saner."

"I honestly don't know how Marion lost the election," Celestia told her sister. "She did a wonderful job as mayor."

"It is a mystery," Luna admitted.

Luna and Celestia then decided to get some dinner, though the sisters couldn't help but feel something was very off about Cinch's win.

"She didn't win fairly at all..." Celestia muttered to herself.

* * *

"Can you believe the nerve of those mongrels?"

At this moment, Sour Sweet was talking with two of her classmates, Sugarcoat and Lemon Zest, outside a cafe about her earlier encounter with Twilight and her friends. Unfortunately, Sugarcoat didn't seem interested in the rants while Lemon Zest was drowning her out with her loud music on her headphones.

"How dare they speak to me like that!" Sour Sweet continued ranting.

"From the way I hear it," said Sugarcoat, rather bluntly, "you brought that on yourself."

This comment caused Sour Sweet to angrily slam her hands on the table, causing it to shake a bit.

"Oh, who asked you, four-eyes?!" shouted Sour Sweet. This outburst did little to nothing to startle Sugarcoat.

"Wow," she said in sarcasm, rolling her eyes, "totally didn't see that insult coming. Quickest you could come up with just because I wear glasses?"

"Dudes, can you keep it down?" asked Lemon Zest, clearing getting fed up. "I can't hear my music over you." She put her headphones back over her ears and continued jamming.

* * *

Meanwhile, a large group had gathered in front of the courthouse, carrying various signs while chanting, "The people united will never be divided!" Many of the signs read "Down with Cinch!", indicating that this was a protest rally. Twilight and her friends happened to come across this mob.

"Looks like another protest against Cinch," said Twilight.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" said Flash.

"Who in their right mind would want to vote for that kind of monster?" agreed Rainbow Dash.

"Who are you calling a monster?" came a voice. The voice belonged to Vignette Valencia, who was with part of her group of friends that included Rare Find, Juniper Montage, Sour Sweet, Lemon Zest, and Rainbow Dash's cousin Indigo Zap.

"For yer information," said Applejack, "we were callin' Abacus Cinch a monster."

"She doesn't deserve to be mayor," added Rarity, "Especially since she almost drove a student to suicide."

"Ugh," scoffed Juniper. "Don't tell me you lot actually believe that rumor."

" _Rumor_?!" asked Twilight, sounding very offended. "It actually happened! Shining Armor and Cadance told me about the ordeal and how Abacus Cinch was sued for it."

"I was there at the school at the time," Rare Find retorted. "And I certainly didn't hear anything about it."

"Just like it was a 'rumor' that Vignette and Juniper fought over you so much once that all three of you had punch splashed on you at a Fall Formal," Comet retorted. This caused a few snickers from Comet's friends.

"Leave it to a pair of fools to fall for another one," Rainbow laughed.

"I have to admit, that's a funny story, Comet," giggled Song Cue.

"Then what's this I heard about a guy landing in a cake?" Sour Sweet shot back.

"That was one time!" snapped Flash. "One. Time!"

"And it was Cayenne's fault, as I recall hearing," added Twilight.

"I thought you and your mongrel friends would've learned to keep your opinions to yourself," snapped Sour Sweet.

"You dare call us that one more time...!" Rainbow growled, about ready to attack.

"I think we should take your cousin's threat seriously," said Lemon Zest, already fearing what could happen.

"Uh... yes," gulped Indigo Zap. "Let's chat somewhere else."

"You two are seriously backing down cause of her?" Sour Sweet retorted.

"Well, Rainbow practically embodies loyalty," Indigo tried to reason. "Say something to upset her friends and you're history."

"I could take her on if I wanted," Sour Sweet boasted. But that was a big mistake; Rainbow launched at her without a word and punched Sour Sweet square in the jaw.

"You were saying?" Lemon Zest deadpanned.

"Uh... maybe we should get outta here," groaned Sour Sweet, rubbing her aching jaw.

"Yeah, you better!" snapped Rainbow Dash. "Cause I could give you much worse!" Muttering something the others couldn't understand, Sour Sweet led her friends away.

"Such disrespect from others," Song Cue groaned. "When will it end?"

"Probably not for four years," sighed Applejack. "If we're lucky..."

"I hope this mess is sorted out soon," said Fluttershy. "If Cinch does anything to harm the poor animals, I won't let her forget it."

"I hope so too, cous," sighed Song Cue. "Honestly, right now it's as if someone who didn't understand steam engines suddenly took over the North Western Railway."

* * *

 **MAY 18, 2015**

Time ticked by and people were becoming more vocal against Cinch becoming mayor. The few supporters she did have were almost instantly shut down. May 18 came sooner than anyone could have expected and Marion Weseluck was due to step down.

"Rainbow Falls will fall into chaos with Cinch as mayor," Marion sighed. "I wouldn't have minded if someone else stepped up instead." Just then, there was a knock at her door.

"Come in," she called. It was one of her assistants, Inkwell Rose; she had green eyes behind her glasses and almost black hair.

"Marion," she greeted. "How are you holding up?"

"Not great," admitted Marion. "It's my last day as mayor for Rainbow Falls, but I was expecting an easy victory given Cinch's unpopularity."

"I was expecting you to get it too," Inkwell admitted. "You have done so much for everyone since becoming mayor."

"It seems everyone is fearful of what she may do," Marion told her. "I overheard protesting in the last few months."

"Can't say I blame them," said Inkwell.

"Agreed," Marion nodded. "If only things weren't so complicated."

"If re-elections existed, we'd need one now," Inkwell said firmly.

"But they don't," sighed Marion. "I don't know what to do..."

"Nor do I," said Inkwell, "but I doubt that Cinch got her position fairly. Her family has always had a history for blackmailing others to get their way."

"Good point," Marion nodded. "But who could have been blackmailed? And how?"

"That I don't know," Inkwell replied. "But I hope authorities find out soon."

"Same here, Inkwell," Marion agreed.

* * *

At home, Cinch smirked to herself, satisfied that her day as mayor would begin tomorrow.

"It's all coming together at last," she said. "I will fix up this little town once and for all." But Cinch couldn't be more wrong, and her niece Starlight and sister Cobalt Star were said to have rolled in their graves.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Marion Weseluck is a left-leaning Republican and Abacus Cinch is a right-leaning Democrat. People tend to stereotype Democrats as the good guys and Republicans the bad guys, but I think both sides can be as ruthless as the other, as demonstrated with Cinch.**

 **Due to** ** _The Last Crusade_** **being released late in AoaSL production, Mane Allgood and Snap Shutter are not Scootaloo's parents.**


	50. TR&FOAC8 - Sunday Bloody Sunday

We now begin the second half of the sub-volume with something rather messy; you'll find out what it is. Also, this is the only track out of _Some Time in New York City_ that's been represented in the series as the rest of the material wouldn't really work outside of a political context.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 8 - Sunday Bloody Sunday (Lennon, 1972)**

 **AUGUST 9, 2038**

Late in the morning, many people had gathered around the Rainbow Falls cemetery. The Sentry, Sparkle and Cue families had even gathered here. But there wasn't a funeral going on; instead, everyone was paying their respects for the anniversary when many people lost their lives. The first grave they were visiting was of Lemon Hearts.

"Lemon Hearts was a wonderful friend," said Twilight sadly. "I wish she hadn't gone like this..."

"Why must the good die young?" asked Dusk.

"Mainly because of the actions of terrible people," sighed Flash. "Lemon Hearts had a full life ahead of her, especially as she was in good health."

"Bloody Sunday," Vincent sighed, shaking his head. "It took away many people. Some good, some bad."

"Poor Autumn Leaves was heartbroken to hear his girlfriend died," Song Cue sighed. "And Lemony Gem wasn't much better off."

"What became of them after that?" asked Venus Alto.

"They, thankfully, got better," Comet told his daughter. "Emotional scars don't heal quickly, but with the right support system, things get easier."

"Lemon Hearts would have been a cool honoree aunt," said Mars Soprano.

"I'm certain she would have loved to have met all of you," said Twilight.

"If that Cinch didn't become mayor, she would still be here," Flash said firmly.

"Cinch becoming mayor was a dark day in Rainbow Falls." Sunset sighed. "I remember it like yesterday..."

* * *

 **MAY 18, 2015**

At home that night, it was a scary one for the Rainbow Falls inhabitants. Song Cue was visiting at Comet Tail's new home where he had reunited with his true father Coriander and half-sister Saffron. Firelight was also visiting with Mystic Light II as his new adopted daughter.

"Well, today is the day..." sighed Saffron. "I was hoping it wouldn't be a reality."

"Nor did anyone, I bet," said Comet. "Well... five certain someones probably did."

"Yeah, the neglectful five can't spot a good mayor if they tried," Song Cue agreed.

"Is that what you're calling them?" Firelight asked with a slight chuckle. "Seems to fit."

"Especially with how they treated me since I was born," said Comet. "But it was Lyra who treated me the worst, even taking my baby toys away from me." Hearing that made Song Cue's temper fire up.

"I swear I'd get Simba and his pride to hunt her down if I could!" she growled.

"Songs, a small child is present," reminded Saffron.

Song Cue bit her lip in embarrassment. "Oh... sorry, Mystic Light." Before one of the others could change the subject, the news came on the TV.

" _Good evening and welcome to Rainbow Falls Nightly News,_ " the reporter said, her voice very shaky as she continued. " _Today is..._ " she gulped before continuing, " _Cinch's first day as mayor of Rainbow Falls._ "

The camera then shifted to Abacus Cinch standing behind a podium in front of Town Hall. Some boos and jeers could be heard with the occasional cheer mixed in. Cinch tried to ignore the booing and put on a stoic expression.

" _Good evening, people of Rainbow Falls,_ " she began. " _Now I know there are some of you aren't too keen that I am now your new mayor..._ "

" _That's putting it mildly,_ " muttered a voice. Cinch ignored the voice and continued.

" _But I can assure you I plan to use my position to make everything better for you. For years, this town has been faced with many problems..._ "

" _With people like you,_ " called a second voice, slightly louder this time.

" _...and now it's my turn to fix them,_ " continued Cinch. " _Together, we will straighten up this town's problematic past, and lead it into a bright, glorious future!_ "

" _Uh... thank you, Cinch,_ " coughed the reporter. " _And now for the weather report..._ "

The news went on as normal, but Comet's family was badly shaken.

"That Cinch should be kicked out of town," Coriander muttered.

"I agree," said Firelight. "How Cinch could have been related to someone as sweet as Cobalt Star I will never know."

"Nor will we ever," sighed Comet.

"But I can see why Starlight didn't live a good life," said Saffron. "Cinch being so horrible to her niece."

"Something has to be done about Cinch," Song Cue said to herself. "But what?"

Unfortunately, nobody knew the answer. But for the seniors of Canterlot High and Crystal Prep High School, they had to worry about their finals and graduation, so any thoughts they had about Cinch - mostly negative, with very few being positive - had to be pushed to the side for now. But during the last month or so at school for the year, Moon Dancer had noticed Morning Roast wasn't quite herself.

"Hey, little sis," said Moon Dancer during break one day. "Something troubling you?"

"There is," said Morning Roast.

"What's up?" asked Moon Dancer. "Finals getting to you? I know how that feels."

"No, it's not that I'm worried about," said Morning Roast.

"It isn't?"

"No," she sighed. "There's a lot of... unrest going on."

"Do you mean... with our mother?" Moon Dancer asked.

"It's not just her," Morning Roast admitted. "So many deceased people are feeling upset."

"I guess even deceased people disapprove of Cinch becoming mayor," sighed Moon Dancer.

"It's not just that," said Morning Roast. "Most of them have died at the age of eighteen or older."

"The same age that people are old enough to vote..." Moon Dancer tapped her chin in confusion. "Maybe... they were upset they couldn't vote for Marion Weseluck," she suggested.

"Maybe," Morning Roast said quietly. "Or there could be something more sinister going on."

"But what?" asked Moon Dancer.

"I don't know yet," Morning Roast admitted. "But I'll look into it."

Morning Roast pondered to herself as the bell went for class. There had to be something deeper than just the fact that Cinch became mayor.

* * *

The next three months were contentious, to say the least. As mayor, Cinch ended making changes that she believed would fix Rainbow Falls. Of course, they were how _she_ believed was fixing the town and didn't even bother asking her assistants for suggestions. One of Cinch's plans was banning fictional stories from libraries.

"Hey!" cried Song Cue one day when looking through a particular section of the local library. "I can't find the _Warrior Cats_ books."

Confused, she went over to the head desk. She found Twilight and Moon Dancer there too, and neither of them looked happy either. Dusty Pages was facing the three graduated students. She had pink hair and yellow eyes.

"Are you three alright?" she asked.

"I was trying to find the _Warrior Cats_ books but they weren't on the shelves," explained Song Cue.

"We were looking for some of our favorite book series too," said Moon Dancer. "Couldn't find it."

"And the children's section seemed to be near empty," added Twilight.

"What?!" cried Song Cue. "But I was going to get a book to read to Mystic Light too."

"Girls..." Dusty Pages addressed them. "Fictional books are no longer permitted in libraries."

"But why?" asked Twilight.

"It's that Abacus Cinch's idea," Dusty Pages groaned. "I heard that she wanted the library to have all-educational books."

"Are you kidding me?!" came another voice. It was Rainbow Dash, clearly looking where the _Daring Do_ section used to be.

"It seems like it," sighed Moon Dancer.

"Who died and made her mayor?" Rainbow groaned, walking to her younger companies.

"Not any of us," Song Cue muttered.

"Died and made her mayor..." Moon Dancer tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Penny for your thoughts, Moon?" asked Twilight.

"Morning Roast said that she felt unrest in the afterlife," Moon Dancer explained. "And most of the people had died after the age of eighteen."

"The age that people are old enough to vote," Twilight realized. "But what does that mean?"

"I don't know, but if Morning Roast was right about Top Marks, she's probably onto something about Cinch too," Song Cue said with confidence.

"We'll need to chat with her once she has an idea of what's going on," Rainbow nodded.

* * *

Another change was raised taxes.

"I don't believe this," said Shining Armor as he looked at one of the bills on the coffee table.

"What's happened this time, honey?" asked Cadence, who was holding Flurry Heart.

"The bills have gone up from last time we had to pay for them," Shining explained, handing it over to his wife.

"You have got to be kidding," sighed Cadence, putting Flurry on the floor. "I can't go back to work yet." Flurry Heart just looked at her parents with confusion and clutched onto her bear toy.

"It's boring grown-up stuff, dear," Shining explained. "You just play with your little bear while we sort this out."

But poor little Flurry didn't want to be left alone. She looked at her daddy with "puppy dog" eyes and held her bear up.

"How about I call over auntie Twilight to play with you while we get this under control?" he asked. Flurry giggled and hugged her toy bear tightly.

"I'll take it as a yes then," Shining chuckled. Shining went to the phone.

"Hey, Twily, are you free?" he asked.

" _Yeah, why?_ " she asked. Shining Armor told his sister about Flurry Heart not getting the attention she needed.

" _Of course I can babysit her for a bit,_ " Twilight grinned. " _Just like how Cadance did for me!_ "

It wasn't long before Twilight finally turned up.

"Hey, little Flurry," she said, sitting on the floor. "Oh, look at me, I'm a bear." She grabbed another toy bear she brought with her and pretended to growl. Flurry giggled and held up her own bear. She tried to put on a scary face, but to Twilight it was a funny face.

"Oh no," Twilight said, playing along. "A very scary bear is getting me."

"Aww, reminds me of when I babysat Twilight," gushed Cadance.

"Seems like she's living up to her 'best aunt ever' title," chuckled Shining.

"Indeed," smiled Cadance. "Now... about that bill..."

* * *

Another step in Cinch's plan involved banning alcoholic beverages. Many people were distraught when the local pubs and liquor shops had been shut down and their drinks removed from the areas. Now the only drinks people were allowed to order were either sodas, juices, or water.

"She's brought back the Prohibition Era," said Vincent.

"Didn't she learn how that choice led to big trouble?" asked Sunset.

"It's like the old saying goes; those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Many people were against this ban. Some even resorted to making their own brewery stills and speakeasies in their basements and cellars. Despite this, some people believed that the ban seemed to make sense, even if it was enacted by someone who many believed to be insane.

"It's about the only semi-decent thing she's done so far," said Solar Crystal to Sunset.

"In fairness, it can prevent accidents from drunk driving," said Sunset.

"Kind of like what happened with my mother and birth father," said Vincent.

"Oh yeah..." Solar Crystal winced.

* * *

"Banning alcohol?" gasped a recent twenty-one year old. "Oh, come on! I was planning on having a drink with my friends tonight."

"I know," replied her friend. "That Cinch takes all the fun out of everything! Hmph!"

"I don't know about you, but I don't want her as mayor," the first person said to her friend.

"I agree," another protester spoke, "if drinking alcohol is so wrong, then why did they all drink wine in biblical times?"

"Even the lord Jesus himself turned water into wine!" added a fourth protester.

"Something needs to be done about that Cinch," the third nodded. "Just what, I don't know."

* * *

Yet another major upset in Rainbow Falls was non-Christian holidays being banned.

"What in tarnation?!" cried Applejack. "That's ridiculous!"

"Our mother would not take this well," sighed Big Mac.

"How we can we celebrate her holidays, if they can't happen in Rainbow Falls?" Apple Bloom said sadly.

"That Cinch is one bad apple and she needs to go," Granny Smith said crossly.

"Ah can't imagine how Twilight and her family is feelin'," said Applejack.

"Ah know," Big Macintosh nodded. "They celebrate Hanukkah too. It ain't fair for them ta not be able ta do it."

"Could this get any worse?" asked Apple Bloom.

* * *

But things did get worse. Gay marriage was now illegal in Rainbow Falls.

"Unacceptable!" snapped Trixie. "We should be able to marry who we choose, boy or girl."

"What is Cinch's problem with gay marriage anyway?" asked Cherry Crash. "It's not like she knows what it's like to fall in love."

"Maybe she's stuck in the medieval ages?" suggested Trixie. "She'd fit right at home there."

Cherry laughed at the idea. "Maybe she should be a lowly peasant working for the higher ups at the time."

The two girls' faces turned serious after a few moments.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Cherry. "Run off so we can get married somewhere else when we choose to?"

"I don't know," Trixie sighed. "It may seem like our only way to get married. But where in the world is gay marriage legal?"

"I heard that Elton John got married in England after it legalized gay marriage," said Cherry Crash. "Maybe we could go there."

"Sounds good to me," said Trixie. "We should let Sandalwood and Micro Chips know too."

"It will be a backup plan, you know, if the new mayor is a better candidate in four years," Cherry said. "If we can handle any more of that Cinch..."

"Somehow I doubt we will be able to handle more of her..." sighed Trixie.

* * *

 **AUGUST 9, 2015**

Unfortunately, Trixie's worries were confirmed; if banning the celebration of gay marriage and non-Christian holidays weren't enough, Autumn Leaves had just parked his car outside a cafe for a date. Lemon Hearts was waiting inside.

"Lemon Hearts," he smiled, walking in to give her a hug and kiss. "How are you?"

"Doing great, considering what's happening in Rainbow Falls lately," she said.

"It's a nightmare, to say the least," sighed Autumn Leaves. "But there are times where we can have moments to just have time to ourselves."

"I was ordering a slice of lemon meringue pie for myself," she said, "oh, and a Pepsi. What about you, Autumn?"

But before Autumn could answer, a young police officer rushed in.

"Excuse me," the police officer said, "but does anyone own the car that is parked in the no-parking zone? A Chrysler 300, 2014 build."

"Um, that'll be mine, officer," said Autumn, confused and annoyed by the interruption. "I'll go and move it."

"I'm afraid not," the officer said firmly. "You're under arrest."

"What?!" cried Autumn. "Just for parking in the wrong spot?"

"This is an outrage!" cried Lemon Hearts. "Autumn didn't harm anyone!"

"It was a law instilled by Mayor Cinch," the officer sighed. "I'm just following orders. It's nothing personal. I don't like it either."

"That's it!" Lemon Hearts snapped. "I can't take Cinch as mayor anymore."

Minuette, who was out with Jokesterrap on a date of their own, overheard Lemon Hearts.

"Lemon Hearts?" asked Minuette. "What's going on?"

"My boyfriend's just been arrested because Cinch is nothing but petty and vindictive!" cried Lemon Hearts.

"That's not good," Jokesterrap growled. "In fact, Cinch's acts as mayor as a whole haven't been good."

"No kidding," said Lemon Hearts. "Gather up our friends right now. Meet me down at the park."

"Uh, okay, Lemon Hearts," said Minuette, wondering just what her friend was planning.

* * *

Later at the park, Minuette and Jokesterrap had rounded up a sizable amount of people: Twilight, Flash, Vincent, Sunset, Song Cue, Comet Tail, Moon Dancer, Morning Roast, Spike, Masked Puck, Saffron, Donut Joe, Shooting Star, Emily Tempest and the Rainbooms and their boyfriends. Well, Fluttershy didn't have a boyfriend at this point but she was still there.

"Wait, where's Twinkleshine and Brawly Beats?" asked Lemon Hearts. "I thought they would come too."

"Something to do with an emergency, I heard," explained Flash.

"I hope she's alright," said Saffron.

"So do I," said Comet.

"Indeed," Song Cue nodded. "Now, why did you guys call us here?"

"Because of Cinch," she told the crowd. "If she couldn't run a school to make the students feel safe, why is she even mayor now?"

"I don't know," Shooting Star admitted. "I voted for Marion Weseluck myself."

"I think the majority of us here did," said Vincent. "Something just doesn't add up."

"I'm betting the only ones who didn't vote for Weseluck here are too young to vote at all," Lemon Hearts said. "Am I right in saying that?"

"That's true," said Pinkie. "I'd have voted for Marion Weseluck if I were old enough."

"We have got to get Cinch out of the mayor's office once and for all!" Lemon Hearts said determinedly.

"That's all well and good," said Moon Dancer, "but do you have any ideas how we do it?"

"Yeah, I mean, do we start another election?" asked Rarity. "No offense, darling, but some of the group aren't eighteen yet."

"Starting another election wasn't what I had in mind," explained Lemon Hearts.

"I'm lost, Lemon Hearts," Twilight blinked. "What is it you want us to do?"

"We'll force Cinch out of her position as mayor," Lemon grinned.

"Force her out?" asked Fluttershy. "That sounds tricky."

"Not if you use brute force like I would," said Masked Puck. "I'd love to give her a good pummeling!" he added, slamming a fist into his open palm for emphasis.

"Let's _try_ to keep violence out of this," Math sighed.

"Regardless, we have got to stand strong with both feet on the ground and speak up for what is right," said Lemon Hearts. "Home is home. And we're going to set it right once more."

"She's right," Rainbow agreed. "If Cinch is mayor for much longer, this place will only fall into more damage than ever. We must take a stand now!"

"You gonna put on a protest concert?" asked Minuette.

"Ooh, not a bad suggestion, Minuette," said Pinkie.

"We could get more people to get involved with the cause," Applejack nodded.

"I've even written a song about Cinch and why she sucks," said Rainbow Dash.

"I actually have a song somewhere that may help bring people closer together," Song Cue told them. "If it's okay for me to be with you guys."

"Why of course, cous," smiled Fluttershy. "You can join us."

"And I've got some words of my own for Cinch as well," said Flash.

"Fantastic!" Lemon Hearts grinned. "Let's do it!"

* * *

The Rainbooms got their instruments ready and any songs they wished to perform out. Song Cue also had her song ready to go.

"Alright girls, we haven't much time," said Sunset. "You ready?"

"Ready when all of y'all are," said Applejack.

"Right," said Rainbow Dash. "Song Cue, what is this song called?"

"'Home is Home'," she said proudly. She took a deep breath and began singing.

" _We gotta stand strong  
With both feet on the ground  
So everyone knows  
We won't be pushed around_

 _You might have doubts  
But we got it deep within  
No matter the odds  
I know that we can win_

 _And if they try to push us out  
Here is what we'll say_

 _This is our home  
And it is where we'll stay  
This is our home  
We won't run away_

 _When we stand together  
There's no need to roam  
We know inside  
Home is home_

 _So look all around  
We all know that it's our land  
And this is the place  
We've gotta take a stand_

 _And if they try to push us out  
Here is what we'll say-ay-ay-ay_

 _This is our home  
And it is where we'll stay  
This is our home  
We won't run away_

 _When we stand together  
There's no need to roam  
We know inside  
Home is home_

 _Yes, I know it's scary  
But some things can't be ignored  
When there's evil lurking  
Its defeat is our reward..._

"Have courage, everyone; sing with me."

" _This is our home  
And it is where we'll stay  
This is our home  
We won't run away_

 _When we stand together  
There's no need to roam  
We know inside  
Home is home  
We know inside  
Home is home..._"

Other attendants at the park had gathered at the little performance.

"They're right," said Firefly, Rainbow Dash's aunt, mother's side. "We have to take a stand!"

"Cinch has ruined this place enough!" said Rainbow Blaze, Rainbow Dash's cousin, father's side. "It's time to take her out."

"Let's get Cinch right now," called Lemony Gem, "and free our town of her!"

As the songs continued, more and more people were rallying at the park, and even invited some of their friends from in the neighborhood. The Rainbooms had just finished up their cover of the Beatles' "Taxman" with Applejack on vocals and were just changing their sheet music over when Rarity stepped up to address the crowd.

"Thank you all so much for coming to our concert on such short notice," Rarity said to the crowd. "We want to do our part to encourage others to stand up for what is right. But we cannot take the credit for the idea or coming down here in the first place. It was Lemon Hearts and Minuette who started to push things forward."

Lemon Hearts and Minuette both smiled shyly at the applause.

"We're just glad to have helped," said Lemon Hearts. "Now, I believe Dash had a song she wrote about how terrible Cinch has run things."

"That I do," said Rainbow Dash. "When I first wrote it, it was before Sunset became a full-time member, and, well..." She gave a slight chuckle before continuing, "The other girls didn't like it that much. With what's recently happened, I revisited that song and gave it a full rewrite so it's dedicated - and I use the word loosely, of course - to our new mayor." Without another word, she and the Rainbooms quickly launched into the song.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"

" _Awesome as she wants to be!_ "

"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!"

" _Awesome as she wants to be!_

 _Old Lady Cinch is riding on a cloud of doom  
Blood cold as ice and heart as hard as a rune  
Nothing she wouldn't do to ruin our lives  
Like telling a man he isn't allowed his wives_

 _Yeah, she's wicked, she's nasty  
She'll never be as awesome as she wants to be  
Yeah, she's wicked, she's nasty  
She'll never be as awesome as she wants to be!_"

A short guitar solo played by Rainbow Dash came after that before she resumed singing again.

" _Charge on forward and we'll get in her way  
Time to end all these sick games she likes to play  
We can all get rid of this tyrannical ruler  
And this whole town will be twenty percent cooler_

 _Yeah, she's wicked, she's nasty  
She'll never be as awesome as she wants to be  
Yeah, she's wicked, she's nasty  
She'll never be as awesome as she wants to be!_"

Everyone clapped and cheered when the song came to a close, and there were even some laughter in the audience as to how accurate Rainbow's song was.

"Too bad Cinch wasn't around to hear it," chuckled Soarin. "She'd be purple in the face if she was!"

"No doubt," Rainbow agreed proudly.

Little did people realize was that Cozy Blush had been at the back of the crowd the whole time. The whole concept of the idea and songs the Rainbooms and Song Cue had been performing had been bad enough, but this song about Cinch was the last straw.

"No one treats my mentor with such injustice!" she muttered. "Just wait until the she hears about this," she added, making her way to Cinch's office.

* * *

Meanwhile, at the police station, even Shining Armor was fed up with Cinch's rules. Right now, he was confronting the officer who had arrested Autumn Leaves.

"Arrested for simply parking where he shouldn't be?" asked Shining Armor. "You have got to be kidding me!"

"I'm afraid not," said the officer. "Mayor Cinch has ordered stricter punishments for people who break the law."

"I don't care what Mayor Cinch says!" snapped Shining Armor. "As captain of the police force, I am _ordering_ you to release Autumn Leaves this instant! Locking up people for minor offenses is just ridiculous."

"Well... if it's true, I'll do as you say, sir," said the officer. He knew better than to question his superiors.

"Thank you, Captain Armor," said Autumn Leaves. "I'll go move my car now."

"Actually, I heard from Twilight that Lemon Hearts is with her and a few others in the park," said Shining. "Maybe you should see what's happening."

"Alright, thanks again," said Autumn. The recently graduated student left the police station with curiosity as to what his girlfriend was doing.

* * *

Meanwhile, Abacus Cinch had been informed of the protests against her.

"It would seem that the citizens do not appreciate my chances of making this town better," she said.

"The protests were started by a recently graduated student from Canterlot High, Miss Cinch," Cozy Blush told her.

"Do you know who it was?" Cinch asked.

"I think it was Lemon Hearts," said Cozy Blush. "Blue hair, about eighteen years old."

"We can't have her starting up ungrateful crowds, now can we?" Cinch grunted.

* * *

Back at the concert, things were going quite nicely. Song Cue and the girls were singing "Born This Way" to help build up confidence of some of the more nervous members in the audience. The vocals were lead by Pinkie Pie.

" _No matter gay, straight, or bi  
Lesbian, trans-gendered life  
I'm on the right track, baby  
I was born to survive..._"

But then there was trouble.

"OUCH!"

Soarin had just been hit in the head by an empty glass bottle.

"Soarin!" cried Rainbow, stopping her guitar and her friends ditched their instruments and microphones.

"Soarin," Rainbow said worriedly, "where does it hurt?"

"That bottle hit me right in the back of the head," he explained.

"Who threw that bottle?!" demanded Applejack to the crowd. "Show yourself."

"It was that mean girl!" called Pumpkin Cake, who was with her parents and twin brother. "She's hiding behind the tree."

The Rainbooms saw Cozy Blush attempt to run for it, but Rainbow sped forward and whacked Cozy Blush with her guitar.

"How dare you throw that bottle at my boyfriend, you little punk!" Rainbow Dash snarled.

"You started it by making up that song about Mayor Cinch," Cozy Blush retorted back.

"She's a tyrant to the core!" growled Rainbow. "My song was justified. Why do you support her, you little brat?"

"She was there for me when daddy would never be there, and mommy left when I was a baby," Cozy Blush replied. Spoiled Rich, who had just come up and heard the last part, started to feel very uncomfortable.

"Sounds like all three of them didn't raise a good daughter," Fluttershy said firmly.

"I'm wondering if she really is a child," said Firestorm.

"Yeah, there's something sinister behind those bouncy curls, little bro," Smolder nodded thoughtfully.

"What is your age, exactly?" demanded Twilight to Cozy Blush. Cozy shank back. There was something in the graduated student's tone of voice and the dark glare that couldn't allow her to lie.

"Uh... I was born in 1991."

Rainbow Dash burst out laughing. "Seriously?!" she exclaimed. "24 years old, and yet you're a midget!"

"You mean she's not a kid who Cinch saved from abusive parents?" called one of the kids Cozy manipulated on the playground.

"It would seem so," Rainbow Dash grunted. "How dare you fool kids into thinking that Cinch was a good guy!"

* * *

While the protesters were dealing with the manipulative Cozy Blush, more trouble was brewing.

Many people in town had started becoming irritable and grumpy because of the new rules. But one person, however, was affected by it the worst. This deranged man had been forced to attend an Alcoholics Anonymous group ever since the ban of alcoholic drinks. And the process had begun to take a downward toil on his mind. He was like a loaded pistol waiting for someone, or _something_ to pull the trigger on him.

Chrysalis was blissfully unaware of the man, with a small bottle of something.

"I just have to poison Burnt Oak and that Marion Weseluck would be crushed for life," she smirked.

As Chrysalis held the bottle up, the deranged man took notice and thought the bottle to be full of whiskey. Finally, he lost what little control he had left.

"I... can't... _TAKE IT ANYMORE!_ " he screamed, lunging at Chrysalis.

"What in the name of-" Chrysalis was cut off by the sound of the trigger. Two bullets hit her legs and she collapsed on the ground. The bottle smashed to the floor, the liquid spilling out.

"My whiskey!" wailed the deranged man. He had shot at Chrysalis for the chance to take the bottle. Yet his plan had now backfired.

"It's not..." Chrysalis coughed; her legs were starting to bleed.

The shots caught the attention of some people who tried to confront the deranged man. This only led to punches and more gunshots. As more and more people got caught up in the crossfire, the bigger the fight grew. The noise soon reached the park.

"What is going on?" cried Moon Dancer.

"It sounds like a fight," said Minuette.

"We'd better get out of here before we get caught in it too," said Thunderbass.

"But why did this fight start?" asked Gallus. "It doesn't make any sense."

"Maybe people just got tired of putting up with Cinch," suggested Smolder.

"That's gotta be it," said Ocellus. "People must be fighting for her to get outta the mayor's office."

"But we didn't want to do anything with violence!" cried Twilight.

"We'd better get out of here to safety," Fluttershy gulped, fearing what could happen if they got caught up in the madness.

The Rainbooms began packing up their instruments and equipment.

"Wait, guys!" called Lemon Hearts. "If these guys are fighting, things may get worse. We have to stop this!"

"She's right," said Applejack. "We may not be able to fully stop the fight, but we can at least try and keep it from spreadin' any farther."

"That's the spirit, AJ," she smiled. "But any of the little ones must get out with their parents."

"To anyone who has small children," called Flash to the crowd, "please leave as quickly as you can!"

Many people began to scatter from the scene.

"Aw, but we'd like to help," sighed Pound as he and Pumpkin were ushered away by Mr. and Mrs. Cake.

"Absolutely not," protested Mr. Cake.

"It's far too dangerous," added Mrs. Cake.

"Everyone else, follow me!" Lemon Hearts quickly took the lead and rushed to stop the riot. What everyone saw shocked them to the core. Guns were going off every which way, some people were already badly wounded, and others were running off in terror.

"Is it wrong that I kind of want to run away?" Vincent asked both Flash and Sunset.

"I feel scared too," Sunset agreed quietly.

"I think we all do," Flash nodded.

"We'll have to get the injured to hospital, and do as much peace talking as we can," said Lemon Hearts. Although she sounded calm, like the others, she was very nervous inside.

"Let's split up," said Twilight and quickly divided the crowd into small groups, putting herself with Vincent, Flash and Sunset.

"Choose a leader for your groups and do your best to stay safe," she called when she was done. "My group will be at the far end of the riot."

"Who's gonna be the leader out of us?" asked Vincent.

"I say it should be Twilight," said Flash. "She's already split us up into groups to cover more ground."

"I'm with Flash on that one," said Sunset.

"Can't argue with that," Vincent agreed.

Twilight led her friends down to the far end.

"Okay, anyone you see who's injured?" she asked, also scanning the area. Sunset looked in one of the corners of the riot, spotting a sight that resonated close to her heart.

"Daddy!" wailed a girl that was a few years' younger than the Crusaders' age. She and her mother were trying to help the father get up.

"Do you need any help?" asked Sunset, running over to them.

"Yes, please," said the mother. "We need to get my husband to hospital right now."

"I'll call the hospital," said Flash, getting his phone out.

"Daddy..." begged the girl. "Please be okay." The poor man was struggling to breathe as blood slowly leaked from his chest.

"Wind Sprint..." the father said quietly. "Please, if you and your mother survive this... don't forget all the good times we had together or the lessons you've learned."

"You'll make it to hospital!" cried his wife. "This young man has called an ambulance. It's on its way."

"Clear Sky..." her husband whispered. "No matter what happens, I will always love you. Take care of our daughter the best way you can."

Just then, there were sirens going off and the medics got down from the ambulance and got the father on a stretcher.

"I hope he can make it," said Flash. "His poor wife and daughter."

"Seems like Wind Sprint has a special connection to her dad," Sunset sighed, looking up at the sky.

"Bless that little family," Twilight said quietly. "Come on, we'd better keep searching."

* * *

Lemon Hearts, Twilight and the rest of the those at the park had a trying time to get the riot to stop. Many more ambulances were called and even police officers were called to keep the rift at bay.

"It seems things are cooling down," Lemon Hearts said to herself, seeing a group of people that had guns now being arrested. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone else with a gun about to shoot Lemony Gem.

"Get away from my older sister!" she cried jumping in front of her, just as the gun shot.

"LEMON HEARTS!" wailed Lemony Gem. Without another word, she quickly called the ambulance and got a nearby police officer to arrest the person who shot her sister.

* * *

Meanwhile, Twilight and her group had already helped a pair of girls get to another ambulance.

"Thank you for helping my friend," said the blue haired girl.

"It's okay, Lighthoof," replied Flash. "Shimmy Shake looks better than others we've seen today."

"That's a relief," Lighthoof smiled.

The quartet watched the ambulance drive off with a small sense of relief.

"Okay, let's try over-" But Twilight didn't get very far in saying her sentence because, it happened.

"Augh!" she cried as she clutched her right shoulder.

"Twilight!" cried Vincent. "Are you alright?"

Twilight coughed. "I-I think I wi-will be..." But she didn't sound so sure. Then another fired bullet hit her on the left side of her abdomen and she clutched at that as well.

"Flash! Sunset!" yelled Vincent. "Get over here! Quick!"

"TWILIGHT!" they both shouted and ran to her aide.

"Oh man," groaned Sunset, "we better get her to the hospital or else-"

"Don't remind me!" cried Flash. Vincent was already calling an ambulance. Twilight's legs gave out and Sunset and Flash caught her before she could fall onto the ground.

"I don't think we have time to wait for an ambulance," Sunset cried.

"Flash and I came here by car," said Vincent. "If we-"

"Yes!" cried Flash. "Good thinking, Vincent! Sunset, you take her by the arms and I'll take her by the legs!"

Fighting their way through the crowd of people trying to get the unconscious to ambulances or deceased people being moved away, Flash and Sunset managed to bring the unconscious Twilight to his car with Vincent close behind. Their clothing was splattered with blood, but none of them were concerned about that detail. Sunset and Vincent stayed in the back seats with Twilight whilst Flash drove.

"Hang in there, Twilight," said Sunset. "You'll be alright." _I hope,_ she thought with worry. What if Twilight died before they even got there? How would Flash and Vincent cope? How would Comet Tail and their other friends have reacted? So many questions flooded in Sunset's mind, and yet so few answers.

Sunset pulled out her cellphone and dialed 9-1-1.

" _9-1-1, what service do you require?_ "

"The police, please," said Sunset. "I need to speak with Captain Shining Armor."

" _Alright miss, I'll put him on the line for you._ "

"Captain Armor, is this you? It's Sunset Shimmer talking."

" _Yes, it's me, Sunset,_ " his voice said on the other end. " _I've been informed of the riot taking place near the park._ "

"Well, Flash, Vincent, myself, and your sister Twilight had gotten involved," explained Sunset. "She's been shot twice - on her shoulder and abdomen!"

" _Twily got hurt?!_ " Shining Armor sounded most distraught. " _She's not dead, is she?!_ "

"She's unconscious, but still breathing, only just," Sunset confirmed. "Flash is taking her to hospital as fast as he can."

" _Say no more, I'll rendezvous with you as soon as I can._ " Shining quickly got one of his fellow police officers to take control for now and drove off to the hospital.

"Please be okay, Twily," he whispered. "Please be okay..."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Before** ** _Sweet and Smoky_** **, Rachel created Firestorm to be Smolder's brother. He's around the same age as the Cake Twins and Sandbar's sister.**

 **"Home is Home" is a song from** ** _The Lion Guard_** **, but released in 2018, making it one of the few anachronisms of the series.**

 **Originally, Vincent wasn't with Twilight when she was shot.**

 **When Chrysalis was shot, that is a reference to how she got her holes in her body in** ** _MLP Fiendship is Magic_** **Issue #5:** ** _The Many Tales of Queen Chrysalis_** **.**


	51. TR&FOAC9 - Tears of the World

Here's the second part of the Bloody Sunday saga.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 9 - Tears of the World (Harrison, 1981)**

Rainbow Falls Hospital was abuzz with activity. A few rooms were filled with victims of the riot. Twelve people were confirmed either dead or dying, and around thirty-one were injured, Twilight being among them. Injuries ranged from a sprained ankle or wrist to gunshot wounds. Someone else was also at the hospital, but for a completely different reason...

* * *

"It hurts..." panted a young female voice. "Why did labor have to be so painful?" It was Twinkleshine; she was about to become a mother, and she was clutching very tightly onto Brawly Beats' hand.

"Just keep breathing, dear," Brawly said gently. "I'll be with you and our baby the whole time." He was doing his best to keep himself from screaming as well; Twinkleshine had a very tight grip.

"I wish the pain would stop!" she cried. "I don't think I'll be able to rest for a while after this."

"Just one more push," said Dr. Morrow. "I think I can see the head!"

" _AAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUGGGHHH!_ "

Finally, the baby had come out and was taken to be cleaned up.

"Is... is it over?" asked Twinkleshine. Her hair was now a complete mess and Brawly Beats' hand was sore.

"Yeah, it's over, babe," said Brawly Beats, stroking his hand. "Man, that hurt."

"Thank goodness," sighed Twinkleshine. She managed a small smile. "I can't believe we're _parents_ today." Before her boyfriend could reply, an announcement came on the radio.

" _There has been a massive riot outside the town hall,_ " a male reporter began. " _No one knows for sure how it started, but matters are being investigated. Injuries and even death has been recorded and thankfully the police and other brave people had stopped this terrible blood bath._ "

"A riot?!" cried Brawly Beats. "Oh, that's just awful." Outside the room, Brawly and Twinkleshine heard familiar anxious voices.

"Oh, why did they make us wait out here?" Flash sighed. "I need to check on her."

"Flash?" asked Brawly. "What's he doing at the hospital?"

"Flash, the medics here know what they are doing," Sunset replied, trying to stay calm herself. "Twilight will be okay."

"We got here quickly," Vincent added. "Twilight is in good hands."

"Twilight?" gasped Twinkleshine.

"Something's going on," said Brawly. "You don't mind if I check to see what's up, do you?"

"Go for it, dear," Twinkleshine agreed. Brawly gave her a quick kiss before rushing to the trio outside the room.

"Guys, what's happened?" he asked. Then he noticed the blood on their clothes. "Wait, you guys weren't involved in..."

"The riot? Yeah," said Vincent.

"Twinkleshine and I just heard about it on the radio," Brawly told the others. "And... was Twilight... injured in the riot?"

"Shot at twice," said Sunset. "The medics are taking care of her right now."

"I hope she'll be okay," Brawly sighed. "Do you know of anyone else who was injured?"

"A preteen girl's dad was badly wounded," Sunset explained, closing her eyes and flashing back to that moment, tears coming to her eyes again. "I don't think he was going to make it."

"Innocent lives lost..." Brawly shook his head. "When will it end?"

"Who knows?" sighed Flash. Just then, they heard some footsteps coming from further up.

"No... no, it can't be true..." said a male voice.

"Autumm Leaves, Lemony Gem," Sunset cried, looking toward them.

"She was so young..." Lemony Gem sobbed. "She shouldn't have gone in there."

"What happened?" asked Vincent.

"L-Lemon Hearts..." stammered Autumn Leaves. "She... she's..."

"She was shot dead in the riot!" Lemony Gem cried. The words seem to shake the small group with bolts of horror.

"Not Lemon Hearts..." Sunset was already beginning to have tears form in her eyes. Flash shook his head in disbelief.

"She's barely just graduated," Brawly felt tears prick his eyes. "So much to look forward to." Vincent didn't say anything; he stayed respectfully silent.

"She... she jumped in front of me just before a gun went off," Lemony Gem explained.

"She really did that?" asked Flash in shock.

"I... I tried to get her here when I realized there was no time for an ambulance," she sobbed, "but she was dead halfway here." After a pause of sobbing, Lemony Gem snapped. "The reason this riot started was because of that Cinch! If not for her being a tyrant, my sister would still be alive!"

"If you got out of the way of the gunshot, then Lemon Hearts wouldn't have needed to jump in front of you," Autumn Leaves retorted.

"Oh, so now you accuse _me_ for being responsible for her death?" snapped Lemony Gem. "That's coming from someone who got arrested all because parked in the wrong spot!"

"That was Cinch's doing," Sunset tried to reason but neither were listening.

"It was a mistake anyone could make," Autumn Leaves shot back.

"Well, I was trying to find more injured people to get to hospital," Lemony Gem told him. "And I couldn't look everywhere at once."

"Lemon Hearts wouldn't want to see her sister and boyfriend fighting!" Vincent cried. "Think about that."

Both parties soon fell silent after Vincent's sudden outburst; he hadn't spoken since Autumn Leaves and Lemony Gem had dropped the bombshell on Lemon Hearts' death.

"He's right," sighed Autumn Leaves. "I... guess grief can do that to people."

"Yeah..." Lemony Gem agreed. "Lemon Hearts was cruelly taken from this world, but... in the end, it was Cinch's fault."

"May she rest in peace," said Brawly Beats.

"Say, what were _you_ doing here?" asked Flash. "You said you and Twinkleshine had an emergency or something. Is she alright?"

"Flash, it's been nine months since Twinkleshine's pregnancy," Brawly chuckled.

"He's got a point there," said Vincent. "You were around when I was in mom's womb, as was Fictionary."

"I know that, just lost track of time due to Cinch being mayor and all," Flash muttered, then looked toward Brawly with a smile. "Where is your child?"

"Follow me, guys." He led them back to the room where Twinkleshine now held her and Brawly's child. The child had some darker green hair with light pink streaks, and blue eyes.

"Aww, so cute," whispered Sunset. "Congratulations, Twinkleshine and Brawly Beats."

"Thanks, Sunset," said Twinkleshine.

"Hard to believe it's happened today," said Vincent. "Welcome to the world, little one."

"She's so precious," sighed Flash.

"I wish Lemon Hearts could have been here to see her," Lemony Gem said quietly.

"What happened to her?" asked Twinkleshine.

"She died in the riot," Autumn Leaves explained. "She showed bravery to be able to band us together to stop the whole thing."

"Oh... poor Lemon Hearts..." Twinkleshine had tears flowing in her eyes.

"She was always a fighter," Autumn Leaves said quietly. "If she died from illness in old age or something, I don't think she'd have been too happy."

"I suppose you're right, Autumn Leaves," Twinkleshine nodded. "And, if Lemon Hearts can't be here for this little one, I have an idea. Originally, Brawly and I were going to call our baby Cinnamon Roll, but if it's alright with him, I'd like to call her Lemon Roll."

"I think it's perfect, Twinkleshine," smiled Brawly Beats. Lemon Roll babbled happily and tried to reach out for Brawly Beats.

"Welcome to the world, my daughter," he smiled, kissing her forehead. Just then, a text chimed on Sunset's phone.

"Who could that be?" She got it out and a text read: " _I'm here. Which room is Twilight in?_ "

"That's Shining Armor," said Sunset. She quickly responded, " _We don't know, but we'll meet you at the front desk._ "

"We'd better rush off," said Flash. "Twinkleshine, Brawly, Lemon Roll, we'll leave you three to bond."

"Okay, Flash," said Brawly.

"Lemony Gem and I will check around to see if other victims of the riot are recovering," said Autumn Leaves as the group split up.

* * *

Flash, Vincent and Sunset were soon back at the front desk. Shining Armor had just spoken with the receptionist.

"Flash, Vincent, Sunset," he sighed. "Thank you for bringing my sister here."

"Eh, don't mention it," said Vincent. "I'm sure you'd have done the same for one of us or our families as well."

"Of course I would," Shining nodded. "Even if I wasn't a police officer."

"Did you ask the receptionist what room Twilight's in?" asked Flash.

"She said it was Room 225," explained Shining.

"You just need to go down that hall," said the receptionist. Following her directions, the quartet headed down to where Twilight was being treated for her injuries.

"I still can't believe you four and a bunch of others went into that riot to stop it," said Shining Armor. "Most people wouldn't even think about doing that."

"It was Lemon Hearts who led the charge," Vincent explained. "I was thinking of backing out."

"She ended up being one of the people who died in the riot," added Sunset. "Twinkleshine and Brawly Beats even named their newborn daughter in her honor."

"Rest peacefully, Lemon Hearts," Shining said quietly. "And congratulations to Twinkleshine and Brawly Beats on their new daughter."

It wasn't long before they came to the door leading to Room 225. Nurse Redheart had just left the room when the quartet turned up.

"Nurse Redheart," said Flash. "We're here to see Twilight Sparkle."

"How is she?" asked Sunset. "We just want to know if she's at least still breathing."

"She is," Redheart confirmed. "You three got her here very quickly."

"I just came to see if she's alright," said Shining Armor. "Is it alright if all of us did?"

"You can go in and check on her," Redheart agreed. "She may not be able to stay awake the whole time, however."

"How long does Dr. Morrow think she'll be at the hospital for?" asked Vincent. "I mean, she did get shot in the shoulder and on the side of her abdomen."

"A few months, at least," Redheart sighed. "So many people need healing today due to this riot."

"But she was already signed up for classes at Canterlot University," protested Shining Armor. "If she's still stuck there by the time classes begin in September..."

"We can't risk Twilight's health getting worse," Redheart reasoned. "I'm sorry, Shining Armor." Shining sighed; there was no point in arguing with a doctor.

"Come on, guys," said Sunset. "Let's just go in and see her."

The four of them headed into the room. Twilight's wounds were being tended to, and she slowly opened her eyes when she saw her friends.

"Hi there, Twilight," Flash said quietly.

"Hi, Flash. Sunset, Vincent, and Shining Armor," Twilight smiled weakly.

"Are you feeling alright?" asked Sunset. She knew the answer was obvious, but still, it didn't hurt to make sure.

"Being shot at is _not_ a pleasant experience," Twilight replied. "Just saying I do not recommend it. But the nurses have tended to me."

"We'll keep that in mind, Twily," said Shining Armor, a slight chuckle escaping his mouth. "I'm just glad you're still alive."

"So am I," said Twilight.

"Unfortunately, Lemon Hearts wasn't so lucky." Flash explained about her dying in the riot.

"L-Lemon Hearts... is dead?!" Twilight had a flood of tears down her face in seconds. "No... not one of my childhood friends..."

"Probably wasn't a good idea to mention that to her in this state," Vincent noted to Flash.

"She died honorably," Sunset added. "If not for her leading everyone to stop things, the riot could have been a lot worse."

"I guess..." sighed Twilight. "It's just... a recent graduate dying in battle? She had so much ahead of her."

"Same could have been said for you, Twily," Shining said quietly. "I don't know what I'd do without my LSBFF." He placed his hand on Twilight's, silently thanking the Lord for sparing her life.

"Be sure to let Cadance and Flurry Heart know I'm okay," Twilight said to her brother.

"I will, though I'm not sure how to explain to a baby that her aunt isn't around to babysit her for a while," Shining chuckled.

"I think Flash would be willing to step in as an uncle," Vincent suggested with a wink.

"Oh yes," added Sunset. "I'm sure Flurry would love to spend time with her uncle Flash."

"Don't I get a say in this decision?" Flash asked suddenly, blushing all over.

"Nope," said Sunset. "Thanks for volunteering."

"I'm sure Flurry will love you, Flash," said Twilight, smiling a little.

"Well, it appears she loves everyone," Flash admitted. "I'll try and be a good babysitter, for you and Flurry Heart. She likes that bear game, right?"

"Yep," said Twilight. "It's her favorite."

"I'll keep it in mind," Flash agreed.

"Speaking of babies," said Sunset, "did we mention Twinkleshine's new baby girl has just been born?"

"A baby girl?" Twilight gasped. "That's funny. Song Cue and Comet were certain Mystic assumed it to be a boy."

"Well, it's a girl alright," said Vincent. "Her name is Lemon Roll, named after Lemon Hearts and her brave actions."

"I can't wait to meet her," said Twilight. "I bet she and Flurry will be best friends."

"Mystic, Flurry and Lemon would make a great trio," said Shining. "Like a bunch of puppies playing together."

"Now that would be precious," smiled Sunset.

"It sure would..." Twilight started to feel tired. "Sorry, guys... Being treated was... exhausting."

"You rest up, Twily," Shining said gently. "We'll go check on other people who have been injured in the riot." Quietly, the quartet left the room to let Twilight rest. Flash made sure the others weren't watching before gently kissing Twilight on the forehead. As he left, you could notice a faint blush on Twilight's face.

* * *

While the riot was going on, it didn't go unnoticed by Abacus Cinch. She decided to wait until it was over to see what the fuss was about.

"Who would disrupt Town Hall's peace..." She saw a lot of drops of blood outside, and by now, all the deceased people were moved away, and the unconscious and injured were in the hospital.

"What's going on?" she cried.

"Ma'am, we're investigating a riot that took place here," said a police officer. "It's best if you clear out."

"So that's what it was," Cinch muttered. "But why did it happen?"

"That is what we are looking into," the officer replied. "We don't know for sure."

"Well, carry on then," said Cinch. She walked off, but was then surprised to find a distressed Cozy Blush (who had managed to slip away from the crowd before they went to stop the riot).

"What's happened, Cozy?" asked Cinch with concern.

"Both Chrysalis and Spoiled were shot in the riot," Cozy Blush said quietly. "I was trying to find you to tell you, but I couldn't get past the shooters."

"Both of them?" gasped Cinch. "Okay, this riot was a worry. Let's go to the hospital and see if we can find them."

* * *

"Excuse me," said Cinch, "but could you tell us where Spoiled Rich and Chrysalis are?"

"Chrysalis is in the last room down the first hall," the receptionist replied. "Spoiled Rich... eh... she didn't make it."

"She _what?!_ " cried Cinch in outrage.

"Doctors said that she took a bullet to the brain, and she died instantly," the receptionist explained, intimidated by the mayor's angry reaction.

"We'll deal with this later," Cozy whispered. "Let's try and work out a plan with Chrysalis."

Grunting to herself, Cinch lead Cozy down the hall to Chrysalis' room. Chrysalis was looking grumpier than usual and Cinch and Cozy saw a wheelchair nearby.

"Need I ask?" asked Cozy.

"The evidence should speak for itself," muttered Chrysalis. "I have to spend weeks, possibly months in the damn thing!"

"Well, you'll be on a _roll_ once you're in that thing," chuckled Cozy.

"That's the stupidest joke I ever heard!" growled Chrysalis. "If we weren't at the hospital, I'd strangle you on the spot, you stupid midget!"

"How dare you call me such a thing!" Cozy snapped.

"Honestly, you two, we're not going to get anywhere like this!" Cinch cried. "Especially since Spoiled Rich bit the dust."

"Spoiled Rich was in the riot and died?!" gasped Chrysalis. "Of all people, why her?"

"I have no idea why the world decided to off her," Cinch sighed. "She will be missed."

"She was the one who managed to rig the voting system," said Cozy. "At the very least, she took that secret to her grave."

"That's one blessing at least," said Chrysalis. "But what should we do now?"

"Do you know how or why the riot started, Chrysalis?" asked Cinch.

"Well, I was walking to Marion and Burnt Oak's house to try and poison the latter, when this deranged man shot me and the poison spilled out of the bottle," Chrysalis explained. "He thought it was whiskey, that idiot."

"And then it got out of control I'm willing to bet," Cinch nodded to herself.

"Cozy, what else happened during the riot?" she asked, turning to her protegee.

"Well, you know of that rock band, the Rainbooms?" asked Cozy. Cinch nodded and so Cozy continued, "Well, the leader of them, Rainboom Bash, I think it was, she wrote a really mean song about you."

"That little punk!" snapped Cinch. "Wait till I get my hands on her."

"After a while, they heard the riot and went into it, lead by that Lemon Hearts," Cozy added. "The majority of it was a blur after that."

"I think we can use this information to our advantage," smiled Cinch. "Thank you, Cozy."

"What do you think she's plotting?" asked Chrysalis to Cozy.

"Not sure, but she'll do anything to stay mayor," Cozy shrugged.

"Cozy, we need to hit the paper," Cinch told her. "We'll be back with updates later, Chrysalis."

* * *

 **AUGUST 10, 2015**

The next day, Rainbow Dash called the rest of the Rainbooms, plus Song Cue, Comet, Flash and Vincent, to a meeting. But Dash was not herself.

"What's up, Dashie?" asked Pinkie, noticing her forlorn face.

"My aunt Firefly died in the riot..." she said quietly.

"Oh no," cried Vincent. "We're so sorry this happened."

"Firefly was a fantastic person," sighed Fluttershy. "I remember when she used to babysit us when both our parents were at work."

"I remember her taking us out to the Sweet Shoppe for an ice cream or cake on those days," Song Cue sighed. "She treated our family as if we were hers too."

"It's hard when one loses a family member," Applejack added, looking at the sky. "May yer aunt rest in peace, Rainbow Dash."

"Thanks, AJ," Rainbow Dash peeped.

"Goodness knows how many lives were lost in the riot," Sunset sighed.

"Twelve, last I checked," said Vincent.

"All those families grieving, it breaks my heart." Pinkie had tears forming.

"I know," whimpered Fluttershy. "They have done nothing to deserve losing their loved ones."

"Yeah, with Lemon Hearts' family and Autumn Leaves in mourning, Wind Sprint and Clear Sky having lost their dad/husband, Firefly's dead..." Flash shook his head. "And Twilight was badly injured."

"We all heard about that," Rainbow replied. "We saw her yesterday after you three left."

"This mess is all Cinch's fault," insisted Sunset. "If it hadn't been for her stupid new rules, none of this would have happened."

"Let's hope Twilight gets better soon," said Comet, "as well as the rest of the injured people."

"Agreed," said Rainbow. She was so deep in thought that she nearly forgot she had a newspaper in her hand.

"Rainbow, what's with the newspaper?" asked Rarity.

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that," she grunted, opening it up to an article.

* * *

 ** _The Canterlot Chronicle_**

 **Monday, August 10, 2015**

 **ROCK CONCERT AT LOCAL PARK LEADS TO RIOT**

 **Bloody Sunday Results in the Death of Twelve**

 _A local rock group known as the Rainbooms - as well as one of their relatives, Starsong Melody Cue - started a concert to protest against incumbent mayor Abacus Cinch's ways, including the atrocious song, "Awesome as She Wants to Be." Some brave people wanted to defend their mayor by going against them, but it went too far and twelve lives had been lost with more injured. There has never been a worse day in Rainbow Falls due to these seven teens/young adults._

 _Mayor Cinch has also banned music from being played live due to this tragedy, holding out her honors for her deceased friend Spoiled Rich and injured friend Chrysalis._

 _"I never wish to see another blood bath like this ever again," Cinch had said to a reporter. "To not have Spoiled here with me and Chrysalis still recovering in hospital, it was a miracle that there were people still alive and uninjured at all."_

 _Families of the six members of the Rainbooms and people associated with them were not available for comment on the matter. The Rainbooms and Song Cue are on Cinch's enemy list and are under threat due to their disorderly behavior._

* * *

"What in tarnation?!" cried Applejack in shock.

"We never intended for this riot!" Pinkie added. "We just wanted people to stand up to that meanie pants Cinch!"

"How dare that Cinch try to ruin our music and accuse us of starting the riot!" snarled Song Cue.

"We don't know for sure how the riot started," Comet said gently, trying to soothe his girlfriend. "But I can safely say I didn't see anyone from the crowd go toward Town Hall."

"Come to think of it, neither did I," Rarity pointed out.

"Something doesn't add up," said Vincent.

"Cinch is just trying to slander us because she knows she isn't doing a good job as mayor. It's all a bunch of lies!" growled Rainbow Dash.

"Guys and girls, we need to get to the bottom of this mystery!" said Sunset with determination.

"But how can we do that without getting ourselves arrested, or worse, killed?" asked Vincent.

"I... hadn't thought too deeply into it," Sunset admitted with a shrug.

"Maybe Morning Roast could help us," suggested Fluttershy. "If she mentioned there was unrest with the deceased, this riot may have sparked it up some more and she could have insight into this."

"Great idea, cous," Song Cue smiled. "Let's do this!"


	52. TR&FOAC10 - Little Willow

Here's the last part of the Bloody Sunday saga before we move onto the next mini-saga of the volume. Also, I refer to Neighsay as thus because I couldn't come up with a good substitute name for him that would fit in the series.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 10 - Little Willow (McCartney, 1997)**

 **AUGUST 14, 2015**

The day of the funeral was a day that everyone felt sadness for. Anyone who was a relative or close friend of those who died attended at the church. To everyone's surprise, even Filthy Rich and Diamond Tiara were also in attendance.

"Hey, Diamond Tiara," whispered Apple Bloom. "Ah know what it's lak ta lose a family member."

"You do?" Diamond Tiara asked with surprise.

"Ma died when she was givin' birth ta me, and pa died of a broken heart a couple of days later," Apple Bloom explained. "And mah grandfather on mah Pa's side died of an illness and grandmother on mah Ma's side died in a farming accident."

"Goodness, I never thought about it like that before," gasped Diamond. "I'm... sorry for all your losses, Apple Bloom."

"It's fine," said Apple Bloom. "Say, we never really interacted that much since the incident with mah cousin Babs."

"Yeah, I know," Diamond sighed. "Since then, I was hanging around my dad more and more and saw what kind of person my mother was. And the more I thought about it, I was turning into an outright bully. You and the other Crusaders didn't deserve that." Diamond Tiara paused before continuing. "Your friendship is one of the strongest I've ever seen."

"Thanks, Diamond," said Apple Bloom. "Ya know, if the others see this side of you, they may be willin' ta be yer friend too."

"Even Silver Spoon?"

Apple Bloom nodded. "As mah big brother would say, 'Eeyup'."

"That's what I'm scared of," said Diamond Tiara. "I haven't spoken with her in ages."

"Ya just gotta take that first step," Apple Bloom encouraged. "It may be a little rocky at first, but ya'll get there if ya keep at it."

"I'll try the next chance I get," Diamond promised. "Thank you for the encouragement, Apple Bloom."

"It's no problem at all," smiled Apple Bloom. The group soon fell quiet for the funeral service was about to start.

"Friends and family, it is a sad day in Rainbow Falls. We had no idea that twelve lives would have been lost last Sunday," the priest said sadly. "The best we can do is hope they find peace in the afterlife. Among the deceased were Spoiled Rich, Lemon Hearts, Spectrum Swoop, Firefly Whistles, Lyra Heartstrings..."

That last name was a shock for Comet to say the least. The youngest of his older siblings, of all people, being among the twelve who were killed in Bloody Sunday?

"I... can't believe it..." he whispered. Sure, Lyra may have been the worst of the lot, but he wouldn't wish _this_ kind of death on his sister.

"I didn't expect that," Shooting Star said quietly to him.

"Neither did I," replied Comet. "I didn't see her in riot when trying to help others out."

"It's a wonder how she got there," said Emily Tempest.

"Maybe she was in the riot before we got to Town Hall," Song Cue suggested. "And probably either taken to hospital or shot dead by the time we did take action."

"Maybe," said Comet.

"Look on the bright side," said Emily. "At least your relationship won't be broken up by Lyra anymore." The others were uncomfortably silent after that.

"Er... I'm just going to shut up now."

* * *

Clear Sky and Wind Sprint were further down in the church, the preteen was sobbing into her mother's chest.

"Why did daddy have to go?" choked Wind Sprint on her tears.

"Sometimes, bad things happen, sweetheart," Clear Sky sighed. "And there's nothing you can do..."

Just at that moment, a man with hair ranging from black to dark mulberry-ish grey and moderate sapphire blue eyes walked over. Seeing the mother and daughter crying broke his heart.

"I am so sorry for your loss, you two," said the man quietly.

"Th-thank you," Clear Sky replied. "He was a wonderful person."

"I lost my girlfriend in the riot too," the man admitted.

"Oh... I'm really sorry about that," sighed Clear Sky. "My name is Clear Sky, and Wind Sprint is my daughter."

"My name is Quibble Pants," the man replied with a small smile. "I guess talking about things like this does help a little."

"It does," said Clear Sky. "I hope both our partners find peace."

* * *

Meanwhile, Twilight was feeling sad in the hospital.

"I wish I could have been there for Lemon Hearts' funeral," she sighed. She was viewing the funeral via a tablet, but it wasn't the same as actually being present.

"Lemon Hearts would be happy to see you made it out of the riot alive," Flash told her. He was there with Twilight so she wouldn't be alone in viewing the funeral from her hospital bed.

"I guess she would be," said Twilight. "She was an honorable friend."

"Bet you and your other friends from elementary school had a lot of fun together," Flash smiled.

Twilight sighed. "Yeah."

"Cherish those memories, Twilight," Flash told her. "Like I do with the memories of my mom. If we remember them, they are never truly gone."

"You're right," said Twilight, a small tear rolling down her face. "If I wasn't in this state, I'd hug you right now."

"To be honest, I would too." Flash started blushing bright red. Quickly checking to make sure no one else was around, Flash leaned in and he and Twilight shared their first kiss.

"You don't know how long I waited for that," Twilight smiled.

"You?" Flash chuckled. "I thought I had a crush on you first."

"Touché," Twilight shrugged. "Still, when should we tell the others about this?"

"Let's keep it our little secret for now," said Flash. "When you're out of the hospital, we'll surprise everyone."

"Fair enough," said Twilight. "Fictionary may be a bit curious though," she added with a wink.

"That's my little sister for you," chuckled Flash.

"I think Flurry Heart would be much the same once she's older," Twilight giggled. Twilight held Flash close as she nuzzled him on the cheek.

* * *

Shortly after the funeral, Flash, Vincent, Song Cue, Comet and the Rainbooms managed to locate Morning Roast in the cemetery. She was with Moon Dancer and looked very disturbed.

"What's up with Roast?" asked Flash.

"This riot only made the spirits more upset than before," she explained.

"A lot of lives were unfairly lost," sighed Rainbow Dash. "I may not always get along with my cousin Indigo Zap, but I can't imagine how she's taking the death of her mom, my aunt."

"The death of a family member is always a tough time," sympathized Comet, remembering his own mother dying and the recent death of his half-sister.

"Indeed," said Morning Roast. "The spirits say that the riot wouldn't have happened if Cinch unfairly rose to power."

"There's still a few questions about that we've yet ta figure out," said Applejack. "Do ya have any ideas on what could have happened ta have Cinch become mayor in the first place?"

"Well... I heard my mother talking to Cobalt Star and Starlight last night in my dream," Morning Roast began. "They said something about the vote system being rigged."

"Rigged?" asked Comet Tail.

Morning Roast nodded. "It's possible Cinch blackmailed her way to the top."

"If that is true, we'll need to look into the voting system to see what happened," Rarity said determinedly.

"That's going to be tricky," said Vincent. "And we can't do this alone."

"Who can and will help us?" asked Moon Dancer.

"That's... actually a good question, Moon," Sunset sighed.

"Think we'll need someone from the higher-ups to help us?" asked Rainbow Dash.

"Good idea," said Flash. "But who would be willing to do that?"

"What if it was someone who's close to Marion Weseluck?" suggested Vincent.

"Are you youngsters alright?" asked a male voice.

"Burnt Oak," Applejack smiled.

"You know him?" asked Rarity in surprise.

"He was best buds with our father," Applejack explained.

"Sure was," said Burnt Oak, "and all three of his kids turned out wonderfully."

"Aw, thanks, Burnt Oak," Applejack blushed. Then she cleared her throat. "Uh, Burnt Oak, we were all talkin' and we came to a bit of a... startlin' conclusion about Cinch."

"Oh? What about her?"

"We believe she's rigged the voting system," Applejack explained.

"That actually does sound likely," Burnt Oak nodded thoughtfully. "Marion and I were thinking the same thing for a while."

"So, will you help us check to see what went wrong with the voting?" asked Song Cue.

"Of course I will," he nodded. "Marion has been a wonderful mayor since the day she got the job."

"And maybe this will ensure she gets it back," said Pinkie Pie.

"Shouldn't count our chickens until they hatch," said Song Cue.

"I guess," sighed Fluttershy. "But it's worth a shot."

"So, do we go to Town Hall to check out what happened?" asked Comet.

"Oh, I think it's going to be a lot more complicated than that," said Burnt Oak. "I don't think any of Cinch's assistants would take kindly to any of you breaking in just to uncover Cinch's secrets."

"Oh, tarts and cakes..." muttered Rainbow Dash. "There has to be a loophole."

"Maybe the threat of the police can get us to slip in and expose the truth," Pinkie suggested. "After all, Shining Armor did let Autumn Leaves go."

"That was just a car parked in the wrong spot," said Rarity. "This is much larger scale stuff."

"What if we allied ourselves with someone from the inside to get information for us?" suggested Vincent.

Burnt Oak tapped his chin and smiled a little. "I think I know who can help. Come on."

* * *

Burnt Oak led the young adults/teens to a man who was sitting down on a bench. He had moderate turquoise eyes and dark grayish azure hair.

"Neighsay?" Song Cue whispered. "Are you sure, Burnt Oak?"

"I know some of you may have reservations," said Burnt Oak, "but you may be surprised."

"How so?" asked Flash. "He doesn't exactly have the best reputation when it comes to his beliefs."

"I heard Sandbar's friends had a bit of a rough patch when they encountered Neighsay when they got here," said Morning Roast.

"I can't imagine how that would have gone," Rainbow said quietly. "Ocellus may have been a bit scared."

"I can hear you all whispering, you know," Neighsay said suddenly.

"Do forgive them, Maurice," Burnt Oak said calmly. "They... hadn't seen you in a positive light yet."

"Of course..." Neighsay sighed. "Why did you bring this group of high school students/graduates here?"

"Well, they need help," Burnt Oak told him. "Did you hear about the Rainbooms' concert with Song Cue as their guest singer?"

"Wait, are the young women the same group you just mentioned?" asked Neighsay. "I... was at the back of the crowd and... they were really brave to make such a move."

All six Rainbooms - and Song Cue - were surprised to hear that from him.

"I don't know how you seven were able to do that," Neighsay admitted. "Cinch has been a thorn in my side since she became involved in politics."

"How so?" asked Vincent. "Is she abusive to you?" Neighsay looked away for a moment in shame and the Rainbooms and their friends saw a few scars on his hands.

"Yikes," said Moon Dancer.

"I think that's a yes, Vincent," Song Cue said quietly.

"I had a bit of a crush on Abacus Cinch in the beginning due to the fact she was so professional and on top of things," Neighsay explained. "But that quickly went away the second I started questioning her ideals. Since then, she's been hitting me and attacking me, both physically and verbally."

The young group winced, and Fluttershy thought she was going to cry.

"Mine and Song Cue's uncle Scattered Marbles and cousin Boomer were abusive too," Fluttershy explained. "But Boomer had gone to military school in disgrace."

"And Scattered Marbles was killed in prison," added Song Cue.

"I heard about Whiplash's actions in prison," Neighsay nodded. "I do apologize that some of your family turned out that way."

"It's alright, Neighsay," said Song Cue. "It's just something we've had to live with."

"So, what exactly brings you young adults and teens here?" asked Neighsay.

"We want to get to the bottom of what Cinch has done," Rarity told him.

"We don't think that she became mayor fairly at all," said Sunset.

"That wouldn't surprise me," Neighsay agreed. "She was never happy with Marion Weseluck being mayor."

"Do you recall her doing anything strange?" asked Flash.

"Well, not too long before the votes were in," Neighsay began, "she would leave meetings mysteriously and would be calm about it."

"That sounds suspicious," said Rainbow Dash.

"Indeed," Neighsay nodded. "And there was someone who was twenty-four years old posing as a child who seemed a bit too... attached to Cinch's ways. Cozy... Glow was it?"

"Cozy Blush," Rainbow Dash corrected.

"Yes, thank you. Anyways," Neighsay continued, "perhaps both Cinch and Cozy Blush have been conspiring together."

"That makes a lot of sense," said Moon Dancer. "One of the kids in the crowd did outright say that they thought Cozy was a child Cinch 'rescued from abusive parents'."

"That's a barefaced lie from Miss Blush there," said Neighsay.

"Well, I don't think Cozy's real parents raised her too well, anyway," said Song Cue. "And it is possible Cinch knew Cozy from an early age."

"Maybe Cozy was a backup in case Starlight rebelled against Cinch," Sunset suggested.

"Who knows?" said Vincent. "I don't think Starlight would've liked Cozy Blush either."

"Cinch seems to have other followers too," Neighsay added. "She seemed to be very close with Spoiled Milk and Chrysalis."

"I thought her name was Spoiled Rich?" asked Pinkie.

"That's her married name," explained Applejack. "Though why she kept it after the divorce, Ah'll never know."

"Who'd want to be called Spoiled Milk?" asked Flash. "No wonder she was an utter-"

"Flash!" scolded Song Cue.

"Well, you know what I mean," he insisted.

"Mr. Rich wasn't the first person Spoiled divorced either," Neighsay told the others.

"He wasn't?"

Neighsay shook his head. "There was this businessman named Svengallop that Spoiled married back in the day. Honestly, I thought their marriage would have lasted longer due to the fact they're personas were so similar."

"Wait, does that mean," said Rainbow Dash, "that Cozy Blush is Diamond Tiara's half-sister?"

"Didn't see that comin'," gasped Applejack. "No wonder Spoiled was uncomfortable when the subject of Cozy's parents came up."

"If Spoiled and Cinch were friends, maybe the former told Cinch that and took the opportunity," Morning Roast suggested.

"It adds up alright," Pinkie nodded. "Though I almost feel sorry that Cozy Blush never lived like a normal child due to neglect and harsh treatment... almost."

"Well, now we have an idea who Cinch's inner circle is," Flash nodded. "We need to keep a close eye on them."

"And I could keep an eye on her in meetings and such," said Neighsay. "I'll let you know what's going on."

"Thank you, Maurice," smiled Burnt Oak, pleased to know that the young group have started respecting Neighsay. Burnt Oak and the young adults and teens waved goodbye to Neighsay.

"I hope he is able to find peace," said Fluttershy.

"We all do, cous," said Song Cue. "And with our detective work, we can help greatly with that. Just you wait and see."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Neighsay's first name is a reference to his voice actor, Maurice LaMarche.**

 **Quibble having a girlfriend before Clear Sky is a refrence to Patton Oswald's first wife dying.**


	53. TR&FOAC11 - Steel and Glass

Now we're onto the next saga within _Rise and Fall_ ; this time focusing on Timber Spruce and Gloriosa Daisy, though there is a bit more emphasis on the latter. I've noticed that this has been posted here just after the series' ninth birthday, so happy birthday to _Friendship is Magic_ itself!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 11 - Steel and Glass (Lennon, 1974)**

 **AUGUST 9, 2038**

While the Sentries were visiting Lemon Hearts' grave, Fluttershy and her family were visiting another grave. She had paid respects to her aunt Ivy, but there was a member on her husband's side who she was currently visiting.

Timber Spruce was looking down at his older sister's grave, as were the two children, Red Rose and Quiver Teak. Red Rose seemed to have inherited her aunt Gloriosa's reddish-pink hair with Fluttershy's teal eyes while Quiver had Timber's light green hair and pink eyes from his uncle Zephyr.

"I can't believe it's been so long since my sister died," Timber sighed sadly. "And it was all because that monster Chrysalis broke her; Gloriosa was the only family I had left back then."

"I wish we could have met aunt Gloriosa," Red Rose sighed.

"She would have loved you," Timber said quietly.

"It's a shame the best people die so young," Fluttershy sighed.

"What led up to her death?" asked Quiver.

"A series of dark events, Quiver," Timber told his son, his voice heavy with grief. "And it first started when our parents were killed..."

* * *

 **DECEMBER 24, 2008**

Christmas was fast approaching and many people were excited. A thirteen year old Timber Spruce was no exception.

"I can't wait to decorate our tree!" he smiled to his sister and parents. "This will be so much fun."

"But we don't have our tree yet," said Gloriosa.

"I know, Gloriosa," Timber chuckled. "But just thinking about it gets me excited."

"I can't blame you, my son," smiled his mother. Her name was Burning Heart, she had very dark purple hair - almost black - and her eyes were a slightly lighter shade of purple. "I was a lot like you are when I was a little girl."

"And we should be getting our tree soon," said their dad, Chocolate Sun. He had yellow hair and blue eyes. "And don't forget that on Christmas Day, uncle Burnt Oak will be visiting us for lunch."

"Cool!" smiled Gloriosa. "I love our uncle Burnt Oak."

"Hey, I do too," said Timber. "I'm not the only kid in the family."

"Just messin' with you, little brother," chuckled Gloriosa.

"Siblings..." muttered Timber. "Sometimes you don't know what to do with them."

As the days went by, Christmas shopping was done and it was time to wrap presents.

"Gloriosa, Timber, you two sure you can handle wrapping the gifts while your mother and I get a tree?" asked Chocolate Sun.

"Of course we can," said Gloriosa. "I can take care of him and make sure he doesn't get tape in his hair."

"Unless _you're_ the one to get it in my hair," retorted Timber. "And put a bow on my head last year."

"I thought it made you look cute," insisted Gloriosa.

"Save your hair for hairbows, Gloriosa," said Burning Heart. "Not present bows."

"Alright, mom," she sighed. "I won't do it again."

"There's our big girl and boy," Chocolate Sun said warmly. "We'll be back with the tree and the decoration box is in the corner of the living room."

"How long will you be?" asked Timber.

"We'll have to cut down a tree and bring it back," said Burning Heart. "But don't worry. Burnt Oak will help us."

The parents waved goodbye to their kids and headed out to Burnt Oak's tree farm.

"It's hard to believe our Timber is a teen already," Burning Heart said to Chocolate Sun.

"I know; they grow up so fast," said her husband.

"And Gloriosa has just started college too," Burning Heart smiled. "Both our kids are thriving."

"And they will only grow to be even brighter and better than they are now," Chocolate Sun said quietly.

* * *

Soon, they reached Burnt Oak's tree farm.

"Burning Heart, Chocolate Sun," he greeted with a warm smile. "How's my sister and brother-in-law?"

"We're doing wonderfully," said Burning Heart.

"That's great, and my niece and nephew?"

"They are enjoying wrapping presents at home," said Burning Heart before chuckling. "Though Gloriosa believes it's funny to put a bow in Timber's hair."

"Reminds me of a sister I know growing up," Burnt Oak teased.

"I made you look very pretty," retorted Burning Heart with a laugh.

"Jokes aside," said Chocolate Sun after a good laugh, "we need a Christmas tree for our living room."

"Of course." Burnt Oak led the couple to where the Christmas tree area was. A few of Burnt Oak's co-workers were already getting some trees for other customers.

"Looking good, everyone," he smiled. "I'll just be getting a tree for these two."

"What tree do they have in mind?" asked one of them.

"Just a Christmas tree," Burnt Oak told his co-worker. "A regular sized one." But while everyone was working, they started to realize that the winter winds were picking up and the clouds were getting heavy.

"We should get inside immediately," said Burnt Oak to the others. "The shelter is that way."

"Good idea," said Burning Heart. "Trees could easily blow over if they are being cut."

Burnt Oak and his co-workers quickly gathered up the customers and started to head towards the shelter. But as they were running, Burning Heart tripped over a rock.

"Burning Heart!" cried Chocolate Sun. He went over to help his wife up, but that was when disaster struck. A tree had halfway been chopped down nearby and the strong winds blew at it, starting to topple over.

"Hurry!" cried Burnt Oak. He cried out a little too late. Both Burning Heart and Chocolate Sun were both crushed by the tree.

"Oh, God, _no_!" cried Burnt Oak. "Chocolate Sun, Burning Heart!" He rushed back to the tree, completely lost on what to do. He also didn't know what to tell his niece and nephew in regards to the accident.

"I should call an ambulance," he said, trying to calm down and reach for his phone.

"I require the hospital service," he said once he rang 9-1-1, and he quickly told the person on the other side of the phone about the accident.

" _We'll be there right away,_ " said the nurse and hung up. Burnt Oak wept beside his sister and brother-in-law. He didn't care about the cold weather anymore, just the fact that two members of his family had died.

* * *

Meanwhile, Timber and Gloriosa had just finished wrapping up all the presents and were waiting for their parents to return.

"We sure did that in record time, sister," smiled Timber. "Probably quicker than last year's, even!"

"Wait till our parents see this," Gloriosa grinned. Just then, the phone rang.

"I got it." Gloriosa was surprised to see Burnt Oak's mobile number.

"Uncle Burnt Oak?" she asked in surprise.

" _Gloriosa..._ " Poor Burnt Oak's voice sounded heavy with grief.

"Sis, what's wrong?" asked Timber, walking over curiously.

"Uncle Burnt Oak sounds upset," Gloriosa explained over her shoulder, then turned back to the conversation. "What happened? Was a client rude to you at work?"

" _No, it's not that,_ " he said.

"Was part of the property destroyed?" asked Gloriosa. "I'm sure I can get some of my friends to help me with a fundraiser to fix it."

" _That's not it either,_ " said Burnt Oak.

"Then... what happened?" asked Gloriosa anxiously.

" _Your parents..._ " Burnt Oak began, trying to hold back a fresh stream of tears. " _They were here for a Christmas tree, but... the weather turned for the worst, your mother tripped over a rock and your father went to help. Then, a half chopped tree toppled over in the wind and..._ "

"Mom and dad... are DEAD?!" cried Gloriosa in shock. Her hand was shaking, and she ended up dropping the phone which Timber quickly picked up again.

"D-dead," shivered Timber. "B-but that's impossible."

" _I'm afraid it's true,_ " sighed Burnt Oak sadly.

"C-could we at least see them?" asked Timber nervously.

" _It's not pretty,_ " Burnt Oak sighed, " _but if you must._ " Gloriosa got Timber to jump in her car and they drove off.

"I just wanna... say goodbye to them," Timber said quietly.

"Yeah..." said Gloriosa. "How could they be taken from us?"

* * *

Back at the tree, the guy who cut it down felt terrible.

"I didn't realize this would happen..." he sobbed. "I am so sorry..."

"We should have kept a better eye on the weather," Burnt Oak told him. "You didn't mean to do it."

But that didn't make the poor man feel any less guilty. He continued sobbing long enough for Gloriosa and Timber to show up.

"W-where are our parents' bodies?" asked Gloriosa.

"We... managed to trim the tree and move the bodies over there," Burnt Oak explained, pointing in the direction. Both of them slowly ventured toward their parents' broken bodies. Timber was weeping when he saw them, while Gloriosa was paralyzed with horror.

"I... I can't..." Gloriosa felt so scared and sick she rushed off to a nearby restroom.

"M-mom... dad..." sobbed Timber. "Why did you have to go out like this?" Burnt Oak held his nephew close.

"I miss them too," Burnt Oak whispered.

"Do you think Gloriosa will be okay?" asked Timber.

"I hope so," said Burnt Oak.

But that day had cut deep into Gloriosa. On Christmas Day, she was made Timber's legal guardian, and more anxiety and stress took its toll on her.

* * *

As the school year went on, Gloriosa had to go to all of Timber's parent/teacher meetings at Canterlot Middle. Depending on the time and date, this would have cut into her time at college, not helping was that Timber wasn't old enough to drive himself to and from school.

"How can I do both looking after my brother and do my courses at the same time?" Gloriosa sighed to herself.

"Maybe... oh, no. Uncle Burnt Oak has work. I can't let him take time off for that," Gloriosa sighed. Maybe there was a babysitter available.

"But then again," she figured, "he's gonna be fourteen this year, and is probably too old for a babysitter..." Gloriosa glanced at the sky.

"Mom, dad, I'm lost. I want to continue my courses, but I also have to care for my brother. I... I don't want to be a bad sister." But unlike Morning Roast, Gloriosa didn't have the ability to talk to deceased family members.

"Silent as stars..." she sighed. Not knowing who to turn to, Gloriosa threw herself into making sure her brother got the attention that he needed.

"Everything will be fine," she would say each day as she did her chores.

"I... guess..." Timber wasn't so sure who to turn to either. He wasn't very popular at school; even Twilight avoided him for reasons he couldn't understand. At recess, Timber would often mope around drawing sad faces in the grass, hiding away where no other students could find him.

"Why did you curse us by taking our parents?" cried Timber to the sky. "Gloriosa won't even talk to me about them, and uncle Burnt Oak lives a fair drive away from home."

Just then, Dumbbell, Hoops and Score - the same trio who picked on Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Song Cue and Orange Sherbet in their elementary school years - managed to find Timber's hiding spot.

"Did someone lose something?" teased Score.

"I doubt it," said Hoops. "This guy always slips off in corners."

"No one wants a gloomy guy being in their little circle," said Dumbbell.

"I-I'm not gloomy," said Timber. "Just... deep in thought."

"And I suppose you're like that every single day ever," smirked Score.

"And I bet you three never think of anyone's feelings," Timber shot back, a new feeling of rage swirling inside. The three bullies were taken aback by this response.

"W-we should... go," gulped Hoops.

"Yeah, good idea," said Dumbbell.

"Don't leave me behind!" said Score. The three of them scattered like rabbits.

"I won't let people like that push me around," Timber said to himself. Then, Timber realized exactly what he said.

"Why did I... say that?" he gasped quietly. Just then, the bell went for class.

"Back to class I go," Timber sighed. With that, he went to join his classmates as they made their way back to their classrooms.

* * *

The next six years wore on by for Timber Spruce and Gloriosa Daisy, with the former throwing himself into his studies to make sure he would never get to know anyone emotionally ever again. Though he did have one light in his life; Twilight Sparkle, the girl who gave him support when his sister was hurt when he was little. Unfortunately, his infatuation infuriated Twilight to no end, and the crush never got anywhere.

* * *

 **AUGUST 9, 2015**

That Sunday, Timber and Gloriosa were on a walk to the shops.

"Things haven't been the same since Cinch became mayor," said Timber.

"She's nothing but a tyrant who should be in prison," Gloriosa agreed.

"I didn't vote for her," Timber sighed.

"Nor did I," said Gloriosa, "so who knows how she ended up getting the office."

"It's a mystery, sister," Timber muttered. But as they carried on walking, they heard some disturbing noises.

"What's that?" asked Timber.

"Dunno," said Gloriosa. "Let's check it out." Timber followed his sister; he didn't know what could happen, and he wasn't eager to be the first to find out.

When the pair got to Town Hall, they were shivering at the scene. Blood splatters were everywhere, guns were firing left and right, and ambulances were at the scene getting wounded people aboard.

"H-how did this..." stammered Timber. "A-a bl-blood bath?!"

"No... not again!" Gloriosa shut her eyes, flashing back to seeing her deceased parents. Their bodies left out in the open and blood from the fallen tree.

"Sis, please," Timber cried. "No time for that. We gotta... we gotta do something."

"I... I can't stand it." Gloriosa tried to bolt from the riot, but...

 _Kaboom!_

An old building had exploded, most likely by a Molotov cocktail one of the rioters had thrown. Burning debris showered down as many ran to avoid it. Gloriosa, however, wasn't very lucky. Her face ended up being scorched red, cutting very deep into one eye. Her hair on one side was charcoaled black.

"Gloriosa!" cried Timber. "No..."

Just then, a pale pink-haired girl had heard Timber's cries.

"Oh no..." she whispered, whipping out her phone and dialing 9-1-1.

"I request an ambulance, please," she said urgently. "A young woman's been injured by burning debris from an old building."

" _We're on our way,_ " came the reply. " _Where's your location?_ "

"Two blocks north of the police department."

" _We'll be right there,_ " said the person on the other end. The pink haired girl rang 9-1-1 once more, this time requesting a fire service.

"There's a burning building near town hall," she reported.

" _We're on it,_ " the other person said firmly. " _Stay safe until we take care of it._ "

The girl hung up and then rushed over to Timber and Gloriosa; the former was frightened and the latter in a lot of pain.

"Don't worry," she comforted. "The ambulance and fire department are coming. We need to get out of harm's way."

"Thanks, miss," said Timber. "I just hope my sister will be okay."

"I hope so too," replied the girl. "A large crowd has gone into the riot to try and calm things down."

"You think we'll be fine?" asked Timber.

"Oh, I hope so," the girl sighed. "I just helped a pair of teens get to hospital."

"You're very brave, miss," said Timber. "I don't think I could ever have that kind of courage."

"Well, a friend of mine says that anyone can have courage if they believe in themselves," the girl told him.

"That's very thoughtful advice," said Timber. Just then, sirens came up, indicating the ambulance had arrived. The medics quickly put Gloriosa on a stretcher and Timber went to join her in the ambulance.

"Cous, where are you?" called an anxious voice. "We found someone else injured."

"Oh, I gotta help others," the pink haired girl told Timber. "Good luck for your sister."

"Thanks," said Timber. As the ambulance drove away, Timber looked worriedly at Gloriosa.

"Please be okay," he whispered.

* * *

Gloriosa was taken into one of the emergency rooms, and Timber was told to wait outside.

"What am I gonna do?" he asked himself. "Maybe I should call uncle Burnt Oak..." He got his mobile out and rang.

" _Timber Spruce,_ " came Burnt Oak's voice. " _How's my nephew?_ "

"Not great," said Timber. He explained to his uncle what had happened.

" _I'll be right there,_ " Burnt Oak cried, rushing to tell his co-workers where he was going and leave one of them in charge.

"My niece is hurt?" gasped Burnt Oak. "Oh... why wasn't I there for her when she was?"

* * *

He got to the hospital quickly and found his nephew sobbing in the waiting room.

"Timber," he whispered, hugging his nephew. "Did you get her here quickly?"

"That nice girl helped us out," said Timber through his tears.

"Which girl?" asked Burnt Oak.

"Sh-she's not here," Timber sighed. "She had to help others in the riot."

"Did she give a name?" asked Burnt Oak.

"No."

"Oh..." Burnt Oak said quietly. "Well, whoever she is, bless her soul for helping you and Gloriosa."

"Yeah," Timber nodded. "I hope she'll be okay too."

"Do you know how the riot happened?" Burnt Oak asked.

"I don't know," said Timber. "We should probably ask a doctor as to how it happened." Just then, one of the nurses came over to Timber.

"Mr. Spruce, your sister is resting right now," the nurse told him.

"When can we see her?" asked Timber anxiously. "Do you know how this riot started?"

"You can see her now," the nurse replied. "And as for how the riot started... we don't know for sure. We've been more focused on trying to help our clients."

"How many?" asked Burnt Oak.

"Well, there are thirty-one clients we have, including Miss Daisy," sighed the nurse.

"Thirty-one?!" cried Timber. "I didn't think the riot would be this serious!"

"A brave set of people had gone into the riot to stop it," the nurse explained. "Led by a young lady named Lemon Hearts... who unfortunately died."

 _Lemon Hearts?_ Timber thought to himself. _Why does that name sound familiar...?_

"May she rest in peace," said Burnt Oak. "She sounds like a noble soul."

"Her sister says she saved her from a gunshot," the nurse admitted. Timber stared in silence. What if his sister had died by the time she could come out of hospital?

* * *

Burnt Oak and Timber were led into Gloriosa's room. One of her eyes was now blind and there were scars deep on her face. Timber tried not to look scared, so he put on a brave face for his sister's sake.

"Hey, sis..." Timber said quietly. Gloriosa groaned as she looked towards her family with her one good eye.

"How are you feeling?" asked Burnt Oak, trying not to cry.

"Burn marks are not recommend," Gloriosa winced.

"We'll keep that in mind," said Timber. It pained to see his sister in this state.

"Will you be okay on your own, little brother?" asked Gloriosa.

"I don't know," said Timber. "You've been with me every day since mom and dad died."

"Maybe I should stay with you," said Burnt Oak. "Marion's been managing our house a lot since... you know."

"Thanks, uncle Burnt Oak." Timber hugged him tightly.

"You two take care," Gloriosa whispered. "I will always love you."

"As will we, Gloriosa," Burnt Oak whispered. "No matter what you look like on the outside, what matters is that you never change on the inside."

"Thank you, uncle Burnt Oak..." she said quietly. Gloriosa started to fall asleep; her treatment and the healing of her injuries took a lot out of her. Quietly, Timber and Burnt Oak left the room.

* * *

Gloriosa had no idea how long she'd been asleep for when...

"My goodness, I didn't know I was getting a roommate."

"Huh, who..." asked Gloriosa, trying to see out of her good eye.

"Name's Chrysalis," said the other woman. When Gloriosa looked with her good eye, she could see Chrysalis' legs had been shot and the wounds were tended to.

"Some batshit insane gunman decided to shoot me in both shins," Chrysalis explained, as if she knew what Gloriosa was about to ask.

"I was burnt by an out of control fire from an old building," Gloriosa told Chrysalis.

"Rotten luck..." Chrysalis muttered. "Was it close to the riot?"

"Yeah," said Gloriosa.

"That Cinch is out of control," grunted Chrysalis. "It was her fault the riot started." Of course, whilst many assumed that Chrysalis thought highly of Cinch, in fact, it was the opposite. She had only teamed up with Cinch for power, hoping to become her vice-mayor. But when she didn't get the position, she hated Cinch even more. And for the last few months, she wanted to see Rainbow Falls burn to the ground.

"She shouldn't be mayor," said Gloriosa, "the whole town hates her. No wonder that riot started. Goodness knows how many lives were lost and how many people were injured."

"Indeed..." trailed Chrysalis, more to herself than anyone else. She was deep in thought about Gloriosa, who was anxiously looking at her reflection through her good eye in a glass of water.

"You know," Chrysalis spoke at last, "people may not recognize you with that major burn on your face."

"My brother and uncle could," said Gloriosa.

"But what about other people?" Chrysalis went on. "Your friends and other locals you may know. They may see you and run off."

"I'm... sure no one will," Gloriosa replied, but inside, she wasn't so sure.

"You may be treated as a monster," Chrysalis went on, "and people will start wondering where their friend went."

"A monster?!" cried Gloriosa. "B-but I can't be!"

"Look at yourself," Chrysalis told her. "All kids would rush off in fear, adults would be nervous seeing you out in public. Even animals will run away from you with the way you are now."

"But I can't see my face," said Gloriosa.

"You were just looking at it with a glass of water," retorted Chrysalis. "You're just denying the truth."

"She can't be right..." Gloriosa said under her breath. "Can she? Does anyone have a mirror?"

"I think I have one," said a young nurse, looking in her bag. She had no idea as to what was about to happen when she handed the patient the mirror.

When Gloriosa got as best of a look as she could through one eye, she was terrified. Part of her face was swollen and a scar cut deep into her left eye. Some of her hair was permanently singed from the flames.

After that initial shock of seeing what had become of her face, Gloriosa began to quietly giggle. The young nurse quickly slipped off to tend to another patient; that giggling didn't sound normal.

Gradually, Gloriosa's giggling soon descended into insane laughter, and she smashed the mirror against the table next to her bed. Even Chrysalis was a bit shocked by what she saw.

"Chrysalis is right. I _am_ a monster!" Gloriosa said crazily. "I am not the girl I once was. I'm not even going to be called Gloriosa Daisy anymore. I'm... _Gaea Everfree_!"

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The ending bit with Gloriosa Daisy going insane after seeing her scarred face was inspired from Tim Burton's** ** _Batman_** **in 1989. In addition, Chrysalis being in the same room as Gloriosa was influenced from** ** _The Dark Knight_** **in 2008 when the Joker meets with Harvey Dent after the left side of the latter's face was burned.**

 **The two teenagers Fluttershy helped to the hospital, not referred to by name, are Spur and Biscuit, the two characters introduced in** ** _Growing Up is Hard to Do_** **.**

 **Burnt Oak was originally supposed to be Timber and Gloriosa's father, but we didn't want to kill him off (and he was shown to be alive later anyway). So he is Timber's and Gloriosa's uncle instead.**

 **Chocolate Sun and Burning Heart are two random background unicorns.**


	54. TR&FOAC12 - Devil's Radio

Here's chapter 12, the first post-show-ending chapter uploaded here. Surprisingly, Vincent, Flash, Twilight and Comet are all completely absent (though the former two get mentioned once) - only Sunset turns up.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 12 - Devil's Radio (Harrison, 1987)**

 **AUGUST 17, 2015**

A few days had gone by since the funeral had taken place for the Bloody Sunday victims. Life had slowly begun to return to somewhat normal, but the events would never be forgotten. At this moment, Timber Spruce had gone to the hospital to visit Gloriosa Daisy.

 _She hasn't been the same since she saw her scarred face,_ Timber thought to himself. _I hope we can get her to get help before it's too late._

He noticed other victims of the riot as he went to Gloriosa's room. One was a young girl of eighteen with blue and white hair.

"Did I... see her before?" he asked himself. Timber shook his head as he saw Gloriosa in her bed.

"Uh... hi, sis," he greeted.

"Hey, Timber," said Gloriosa quietly. "How are you holding up?"

"Very well, actually," said Timber.

"That's good," said Gloriosa. "Uncle Burnt Oak has been keeping you company, I'm guessing."

"He sure has," said Timber. "I can't wait for you to come home again."

"I'm looking forward to coming home too," said Gloriosa. "A few of the other injured members of the riot already have."

"Uncle Burnt Oak and I both miss you," said Timber. "Not just that, I miss the days when we were much younger and happy."

"Times change, Timber," sighed Gloriosa. "We're not kids anymore."

"I know, but still," said Timber. "Remember I will always love you, my big sister."

"I will, Timber," Gloriosa nodded.

* * *

Meanwhile, an investigation was launched about Cinch's behavior.

"Those girls shouldn't be shunned for something they didn't commit," Neighsay was saying.

"How do we catch Cinch out?" asked Marion. "She's almost like a snake in the grass."

"Even the most clever of snakes have weaknesses that can lead to their downfall," insisted Neighsay. "Since Abacus Cinch was well hated by a great majority of the town, it seems a little odd that she would have so many supporters."

"That's true," said Inkwell. "I mean, two of Chinch's biggest supporters, Spoiled Rich and Justice Stability both died in the riot."

"Justice Stability was Cinch's vice-mayor," said Marion. "And like Cinch, she was a former teacher at Canterlot High School."

"That's a horrible combination," cried Inkwell. "Those poor students would have been scared to the bone."

"I agree," said Neighsay. "No wonder everyone tossed her out. Those two are not considerate for the well-being of those students."

"But if they were gladly... er... tossed out," said Marion, "how did Cinch get enough voters to become mayor?"

"Well, here's my thoughts on this matter," said Inkwell. "What if she _didn't_ have that many voters in the first place? Suppose the election was rigged?"

"Rigged?" asked Marion. "Do you believe she cheated?"

"Well, if she did," Neighsay added, "it would not surprise me. Her mother and father were the most notorious blackmailers in town. And from the way I hear it, Abacus used that same blackmail technique to become principal of Canterlot High before Celestia overthrew her."

"And who's to say she didn't use that same technique to make sure people voted for her as mayor?" Inkwell added.

"That makes sense," Marion nodded. "Didn't she also use those tactics on Starlight too?"

"Most definitely," said Inkwell. "Poor Starlight and Firelight greatly suffered from it."

"And the town has suffered enough too," said Neighsay. "We need to take action now."

"But how do we figure out if the system was rigged?" asked Inkwell. "Cinch has a tight security."

"Let's take a look at the list of those who voted for Abacus Cinch," suggested Marion. "Then we'll visit those people and ask what they saw in that woman."

"Good idea, Marion," nodded Neighsay. "We'll split up and cover more ground." So the three of them took off to gather some information from the citizens of Rainbow Falls.

* * *

Back in the hospital, Gloriosa - Gaea Everfree - was still thinking about what Chrysalis had said.

"I won't let my brother or uncle know what I've become," she said to herself. "They are innocent in of all this. But... what could I do as my new identity?" She thought to herself for a few moments.

"Hmm... so many forests are depleted due to deforestation," she told herself. "I know. If I get rid of the chemicals and tools from stores, people couldn't ruin them. And I'll take other plants to make the forests bigger."

Of course, Gloriosa had a few issues with this plan. For starters, the stores could order in more stuff to replace the things they lost. Another thing was that she would be arrested if caught out.

"But first I need to get outta this hospital," she grunted. Being stuck in a bed for over a week had left Gloriosa's legs feeling incredibly stiff, especially when she struggled to get out of it.

"I guess that's what a major injury does to you," she sighed. Gloriosa slipped out, making sure to avoid any and all possible eyes catching her. The nurses didn't even give her the all clear to go home.

"Where am I gonna get some new clothes?" Gloriosa muttered to herself. "I can't cause havoc in this getup." She figured there would be an outfit at home that could potentially work as her new look. No sooner than Gloriosa slipped out of the hospital, Nurse Redheart went to check on her.

"Miss Daisy?" asked Nurse Redheart. There was no reply from her bed.

"Perhaps she's asleep," said Nurse Redheart, but she still went to check to make sure.

"Miss Daisy?" She walked closer, only to realize that the bed was empty. Worried, the nurse decided to speak with Dr. Morrow about it.

"Dr. Morrow!" she cried, rushing to him.

"Yes, Nurse Redheart," he replied. "What's the emergency?"

"Did you give Miss Daisy the all clear to go home?" asked Redheart.

"No, we have not," said Dr. Morrow.

"Well, I didn't," said Redheart. "And she's gone!"

"Gone?"

"Her bed was empty," Redheart explained. She led him over to Gloriosa's bed to show him what happened.

"Did anyone else say she was free to go?" asked Dr. Morrow.

"I didn't," said Redheart. Other nearby staff members and volunteers walked over in confusion and shock at the empty bed.

"Wha... where did she go?" asked the young nurse who gave Gloriosa the mirror.

"A good question," Dr. Morrow sighed. "Who was the last to see her today?"

"Her brother was here earlier, but he left alone," said Redheart.

"What was his name?"

"Timber Spruce."

"Any other relatives?"

"Burnt Oak, maternal uncle. Only surviving relative residing in Rainbow Falls after his sister and brother-in-law died in 2008."

"They must be really tight knit," said the young nurse.

"Maybe Miss Daisy snuck out to be with them," Dr. Morrow suggested.

"We should ring them just in case."

* * *

Meanwhile, Timber was on his way home.

"I hope my sister gets better emotionally," he said to himself. Just then, his phone rang. He was surprised to discover that it was a call from the hospital.

"Hello?" he said into the phone.

" _Mr. Spruce?_ " It was the receptionist.

"Yeah, that's me," said Timber.

" _Your sister has walked out of the hospital,_ " said the receptionist. " _Is she with you?_ "

"No! What are you talking about?" asked Timber. "I left the hospital alone."

" _She's not in her bed,_ " the receptionist explained. " _She must have snuck out somehow._ "

"How's that even possible?" asked Timber.

" _We're looking into things right now,_ " said the receptionist. " _If you find your sister, let us know._ "

"Will do," Timber nodded, quite anxiously. "Thank you."

* * *

Unknown to Timber, Gaea Everfree was at home, looking through her drawers and wardrobe.

"Ah, this flower top will do," she said, setting it on her bed. "Oh, and maybe these dark green pants."

Gaea Everfree walked over to the mirror to take a look at herself after she got changed.

"Hmm, I think this new outfit fits my name," she said confidently. "It is missing something, though..." She scanned around her room to try and find it. She found some bluish-green hair dye she bought a while ago but never got around to using.

"Perfect color," she said, and got to work putting it in her hair. After an hour of dyeing her hair, Gaea Everfree was satisfied with her new look.

"If I didn't recognize myself before, I really can't now," she grinned, but it was a sick, twisted grin as opposed to a friendly grin.

* * *

Meanwhile, Neighsay had come across Celestia and her family, who were grieving over the loss of Clerk File.

"I wish I could have spoken with him more," said Luna.

"Even though you weren't married, he was a good dad," sighed Nyx.

"He will be missed," said Celestia sadly.

"Clerk File was a well-respected member in politics," Neighsay said, making himself known to the McCracken/Faust family. "I wish I could have done more like him."

"Neighsay," Sunset said, recognizing him. "What brings you here?"

"I do apologize for coming at a sorrowful time," he said, "but I need some information for an investigation about Cinch."

"What's that about her?" asked Sombra.

"Well... she has gotten a lot of votes," Neighsay told them, unsure how to spill the truth.

"It is unusual," Solar Crystal nodded. "Why would anyone vote for that insane woman?"

"Er... I saw your parents, aunt and older sister's names in the votes for Cinch," Neighsay said quietly.

" _WHAT?!_ " Sunset nearly shrieked. "That's impossible! I voted for Marion Weseluck! As did Vincent and Flash; I saw them!"

"I know, same here," said Celestia, almost as shocked as her adopted daughter. The rest of the family (barring Solar Crystal and Nyx for obvious reasons) also confirmed to have voted for Marion.

Neighsay tapped his chin thoughtfully. "If that is true, how did they end up under Cinch's name? It doesn't make sense."

"You wouldn't have anything to do with it, would you?" asked Solar Crystal.

"Solar!" hissed Sunset.

"I'm as sick of Cinch as the rest of you," Neighsay told her. "That's why I launched the investigation in the first place."

"Someone may have swapped the names over," said Celestia. "Whoever voted for Marion Weseluck, those votes had been put over to Cinch to make it seem like she had more."

"But who would do that?" asked Luna.

"Someone who is close friends with Cinch," said Sunset. "Or... maybe _was_."

"Maybe Spoiled Rich or Justice Stability had something to do with it," said Nyx.

"They were very close friends, and Stability was the vice-mayor," Neighsay nodded.

"The possibilities are quite high," said Celestia.

"Thank you for your time," Neighsay said to the family. "I have more people to speak to."

* * *

Gaea Everfree was slipping quietly into a store.

"How do I get the items undetected?" she asked herself. "Maybe, if I put everything in a trolley and then wheel it out the back..."

She started to grab some things in her trolley, but realized the back door was guarded.

"Hmm..." she pondered, seeing a stack of bouncy balls on a stand. "I know."

She kicked it - without anyone seeing - sending balls everywhere.

"How did they get loose?!" cried one of the workers. Some of them ended up tripping on the balls and landed hard on the floor, and sometimes on each other.

"Ouch!"

"Look out!"

"Ooh!"

A few balls bounced into the sensors, damaging them.

"Now's my chance." Gaea Everfree quickly cleared a path from the balls and escaped out the door. Some of the items she stole were hidden in her shirt to make it seem like she was pregnant.

"Success," said Gaea. "Time to take these plants down to the forest and hide these chemicals."

One of the shop workers managed to scramble to her feet and saw what had just happened.

"We got a runner," she grunted. She grabbed her mobile phone and ran 9-1-1.

" _Which service do you require?_ "

"The police," said the shop worker.

" _Captain Shining Armor here,_ " he said once he was reached. " _What's the issue?_ "

"Our store was just robbed," the shop worker explained.

" _Which store do you work at?_ " asked Shining Armor.

"Mistmane Meadows," said the shop worker. The place had been founded many years ago by a woman named Mistmane, who saw the beauty in everything and wanted to share it with everyone and anyone who came her way. It was one of the most famous nurseries in Rainbow Falls.

" _We'll go and investigate right away,_ " Shining agreed.

"Thank you," the shop worker sighed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Gaea had to watch herself to make sure she wouldn't be caught out. "Why does Rainbow Falls have so many people running round?" she said to herself.

"Come on, we'll rehearse over here," said a voice. "I'm sure our song will make Cheese feel better." Gaea Everfree saw a girl with dark pink hair and another one with light blue hair coming her way.

"Drat," said Gaea to herself. "I better find a place to hide, quick!" She looked around and found a nearby alleyway.

"That will do," she said, rolling her trolley in said direction.

"Hey, Skystar," said the pink-haired girl to the blue-haired girl. "Did you see something unusual?"

"What sort of something, Pinkie?"

"A person with a _lot_ of things in a trolley and nowhere near a supermarket or store."

"You know, that _does_ sound unusual." Skystar glanced at the alley and saw one of the trolley wheels barely visible. "Hmm, do you think Captain Shining Armor and Lieutenant Night Light ought to hear about it?"

"Yeah, I think so," Pinkie nodded. "We'll drop by the hospital later. Let's go." They both raced away, leaving Gaea panicked.

"I'd better run for it," she said, dashing off with the trolley, and items began spilling out without her noticing.

* * *

Back with Neighsay and his allies, they came to a not-so-surprising conclusion.

"Well, it turns out the majority actually voted for Marion Weseluck after all," said Inkwell.

"That's what happened on my end too," said Neighsay.

"Same for me," Marion nodded. "They were shocked to hear when I mentioned that I saw their names under Cinch's vote."

"Something, however, doesn't add up," insisted Neighsay. "All of the votes that had been gathered so far were from everyone who was old enough to vote. But the poll records state that there was still a greater amount of votes for Abacus Cinch than the total population of the town. Where could they have all come from?"

"Forged copies?" suggested Inkwell. Marion was searching about the office when something caught her eye.

"Hello," she said with piqued interest. "What do we have here?"

Hiding between two books on a shelf was what looked like a piece of paper. And the top part appeared to share the same tear pattern as the bottom of their list of voters. She picked up the paper and began looking through it. And what she saw was a great shock and surprise.

"What did you find, Marion?" asked Inkwell.

"Bright Mac and Pear Butter... Pear Bushel, Apple Core..." she said quietly. "Mystic Light... Ivy... Cobalt Star... Stellar Flare... Noble Shield... Burning Heart and Chocolate Sun..."

"Is there more?" asked Neighsay, taking a look at the paper. He shook his head in shock. "Black Pearl... Lullaby Strings and Flame Barrier... Tropical Dream... all these people had died well before the election."

"This is more serious than we thought," said Marion.

"Using deceased people as a means to get power?" Neighsay grunted. "That is a new low."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Tropical Dream is Moon Dancer and Morning Roast's mother, Apple Core is Bright Mac's father and Pear Bushel is Pear Butter's mother.**

 **Gaea Everfree's look is a more realistic, Christopher Nolan-esque approach of Gaea Everfree from** ** _Legend of Everfree_** **.**


	55. TR&FOAC13 - Gimme Some Truth

Here's the penultimate chapter to _Rise and Fall_!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 13 - Gimme Some Truth (Lennon, 1971)**

Gaea Everfree was racing right towards the forest, her trolley getting lighter as she went along.

"Jeez, I wasn't expecting a pair of near-seniors to see me," she muttered. "I just hope no one else sees me or the police give up on the investigation."

Gaea smiled a little when she saw the forest getting closer and closer.

"Finally," she said. "Now I can start planting... uh oh." She looked in her trolley and only found two plants.

"Drat!" cried Gaea. "What am I going to do now?" She glanced back and found her stolen stuff stretching all the way back to town.

"I have to get rid of the trail," she sighed. "Then I'll sort out my things." She took out what little she did have in the trolley and hid them behind a bush, and then went up to gather up what fell out of the trolley.

"This is going to take forever," she grunted. Slowly but surely, the trail was getting smaller and smaller.

"Right, I can turn this thing around and..."

"Sis?!"

"T-Timber?" Gaea was in deep shock seeing her younger brother.

"Gloriosa, what are you doing out here?" asked Timber. "A-and... with all this stuff?"

"Uh..." Gaea didn't know what to say to Timber; her younger brother had a look of... grief? Pity, maybe? Even with her blind eye, she could tell he wasn't happy.

"You stole this from Mistmane Meadows, didn't you?" he said quietly. It wasn't a question, but a statement.

"You are not the sister I once knew..." Timber raced off with tears streaming down his face.

Gaea Everfree felt her heart was breaking. Why did she ever become a monster?

"I have to get out of here," she said. "I can't stay if I've scarred my brother."

She turned away, leaving her stuff where it was and headed into the forest, deeper and deeper so that no one could find her. But unknown to Gaea Everfree, a scorpion had overheard her loud panting and thought she was a threat to it. The scorpion charged forward with its stinger in attack mode, and stabbed Gaea in her leg.

"Agh!" cried Gaea. She fell down, coughing loudly and feeling chest pains. Worst of all, there was no one around to help her out...

* * *

The robbery taking place at Mistmane Meadows made a lot of police officers go to check it out, but a select few were kept on at the station in case of another emergency. And it was thankful that was the case, because another call came in.

"R.F.P.D.," said the officer at the desk. "How may we be of service?"

" _Sir,_ " said Neighsay, " _we have come across some forged votes._ "

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Forged votes?"

" _You'd better come and see this for yourself,_ " Neighsay explained. " _I don't think just telling you over the phone would do this justice._ "

"Okay, I'll check it out," the officer replied. She soon found Neighsay, Marion and Inkwell just outside Town Hall.

"What is this evidence you three have found?" the officer asked.

"Look at this." Marion handed the officer the list of deceased names.

The officer's eyes nearly popped. "Bless me," she gasped. "These people died well before the election. They couldn't have voted."

"Too right there," said Inkwell.

"Hmm..." The officer looked over and found a ring that had gotten caught in the paperwork shuffle. "Marion, Inkwell, is this ring either of yours?"

"Not mine," said Marion.

"Nor mine," said Inkwell.

"It looks rather expensive," said Neighsay. "But I think you can tell a lot about people by what they wear."

"Indeed," said the officer. "We may need to see who owns this ring."

"That looks to be something Spoiled Rich would've worn," said Marion.

"You sure?" asked the officer.

"I often saw Cinch and Spoiled getting coffee together and it's possible Spoiled did want Cinch to be mayor," said Marion. "Plus, I did often see this ring on her finger."

"Good insight, Miss Weseluck," said the officer. "I'll tell the other police officers about this." As the officer went off, Neighsay, Inkwell and Marion looked at each other.

"Looks like we're getting somewhere," said Inkwell.

* * *

Meanwhile, Pinkie and Skystar were on their way to the police station, when they found Shining, Night Light and other police officers at Mistmane Meadows.

"Captain Shining Armor!" called Pinkie.

"Pinkie, Skystar, what are you two doing here?" asked Shining Armor. "We're trying to find out who stole goods from the shop."

"I think we may have encountered who stole goods from there," said Skystar.

"Really?" asked Shining Armor. "Who was it?"

"We don't know," said Pinkie. "She was some person with bluish-green hair and it looked like she was burnt on her face."

"And we last saw her at an alley with a trolley full of stuff," Skystar added.

"Could you show me where you last saw her?" asked Shining. Both girls agreed to lead the police where they last saw Gaea Everfree.

"Just down the alley," Pinkie pointed when they got there.

"Seems like the thief spilled a lot of things," said Night Light.

"We should probably follow it," said Shining. "Who knows where it goes?"

"Let's go, everyone," said Night Light. "Pinkie, Skystar, thank you for your help."

"You're welcome, sir," the pink-haired girl replied. The police rushed down the trail while Pinkie and Skystar decided to try rehearsing their song again.

"We'd better pick all this stuff up when we go back," said Shining Armor. "Though some of it is likely damaged and the store may not be willing to take it back."

"Good point, son," nodded Night Light.

* * *

After heading down the long trail, they finally saw the shopping trolley.

"Well, this is where the trail ends," said one of the other police officers. "But I don't see the thief."

"They could've gone anywhere," said Shining Armor. "They might've even gone beyond the area. We must leave no stone unturned until we find this thief."

The police officers spread out across the forest to try and find signs of the thief.

"Be careful around the wildlife," warned Shining Armor. "You don't bother them, they won't bother you."

"That is something Steve Irwin would have said," agreed Night Light. The police carefully maneuvered around any wildlife that lived in the forest, not wanting to disturb them.

"Nothing here but brightly colored birds," he said, quietly walking past.

"Nothing yet," said Night Light to himself as he walked past a lizard. "Wait... huh... oh my..."

Night Light was in deep shock at what he saw. A woman in her mid-twenties lay on the ground, and there was a mark on her leg, not to mention that her body had swelled up. He was no medical expert, but Night Light figured it couldn't have been from a rose thorn.

"Calling all officers. This is Lieutenant Sparkle. I found something you all need to see," he said into his walkie-talkie; the other officers heard his voice sound heavy with grief. "Also, call in medical support; this woman needs to be taken to hospital as soon as possible."

Shining Armor didn't waste any time and called in the hospital.

"There's a woman who needs medical help straight away," he told the hospital.

" _What's your location?_ " asked the voice from the other end.

"We're in the forest just outside of town," Shining explained.

" _One of you will have to guide some of the nurses in,_ " explained the person on the other end.

"I can do that," Shining agreed. "Just meet me at the edge of the forest." After the line hung up, Shining contacted his dad.

"I'll have to guide the nurses in," he told him.

" _Okay, son,_ " said Night Light. But when the nurses got there and Shining lead them to Gloriosa...

"There's nothing we can do I'm afraid," said the nurse.

"You mean..." gasped Shining Armor.

"She was allergic to scorpion stings," the nurse explained. "We didn't get here in time."

"We should... take her back for burial," sighed Night Light sadly. The police knew it wouldn't be a good idea to show anger in front of a recently deceased person, whether they were a thief or not, and decided to go and clear up the trail that led them into the forest instead.

* * *

Back at the police station, the remaining police officers were looking at the ring that was found under the forged votes for clues.

"Spoiled Rich shouldn't have had access to that," said the female officer who spoke to Neighsay, Marion and Inkwell.

"I know," said a younger male officer. "I guess Cinch was desperate to get the job as mayor."

"But why?" asked Inkwell. "And what does Spoiled Rich have to do with that? We'd ask her questions, but she's no longer with us."

"Just wanted to ruin people's lives, I'm tipping," said Neighsay.

"That sounds accurate," said Marion.

"I don't think anyone will miss Spoiled Rich," Inkwell said honestly.

"But what about her ex-husband and daughter?" Neighsay pointed out.

"They did attend the funeral," Marion pointed out.

"I guess so," said Inkwell. "But you can't deny Spoiled was a very disrespectful person." It would take a few days for the ring to come back with evidence, so all everyone could do was wait.

* * *

Timber, meanwhile, was telling Burnt Oak about what Gloriosa had become.

"She robbed the store?!" gasped Burnt Oak.

"I don't think it was Gloriosa anymore," sighed Timber. "It seemed as if she was possessed and that the demon had taken over her body."

"It would seem so," Burnt Oak agreed, hugging his nephew close. "Why won't she be the sweet girl she once was?"

"I think our parents' death had something to do with it," said Timber. "I think when she took a look at their bodies... the Gloriosa I loved just seemed to wither away, but robbing a store finally killed her."

"Maybe one day, the niece/sister we once knew will come back to us," said Burnt Oak with a bit of hope. Just then, the phone rang.

"Who could that be?" asked Burnt Oak, going to answer it. "Hello?"

" _Burnt Oak, is Timber with you?_ " asked Nurse Redheart.

"Yeah, I'm here," said Timber, having heard the nurse's voice on the phone.

" _I... regret to inform you that... Gloriosa Daisy had run into the forest and... was stung by a scorpion._ "

"Y-you were able to heal her, right?" asked Burnt Oak nervously.

The nurse sighed deeply. " _I'm afraid we couldn't,_ " she said. " _She must've had a severe allergic reaction and died from it._ "

"NO!" wailed Timber. "First my parents, now my sister too?!"

" _We're really sorry, Burnt Oak and Timber Spruce,_ " said Nurse Redheart.

"Sh-she can't be dead!" cried Timber. "My sister was so young..." Timber burst into tears once more and Burnt Oak hugged him tight, cutting the call.

* * *

 **AUGUST 20, 2015**

A few days later, the newspaper was published as per usual and Cinch was alone at her house.

"I can't believe I lost both Spoiled Rich and Justice Stability in the riot..." she muttered for the umpteenth time since she heard about it. She was about to drink her coffee when she took a look at the newspaper article and spat it out in shock at seeing what the headline was about.

 ** _The Canterlot Chronicle_**

 **Thursday, August 20, 2015**

 **MAYOR CINCH ISN'T MAYOR AFTER ALL**

 **The Truth Behind February Elections Revealed**

 _It has been a difficult time in Rainbow Falls ever since Abacus Cinch had taken the mayor's office; people arrested for petty reasons, banning non-Christian holidays, banning gay marriage and most recently, banning live music._

 _It came to a head on Bloody Sunday - the ninth of August - in which twelve lives were lost and thirty-one people were injured, so much so that Maurice Neighsay decided to take action with Marion Weseluck and Inkwell Rose. They came to the conclusion that Cinch and Spoiled Rich both swapped the votes over for Weseluck and Cinch and used deceased people's names to make Cinch more "popular"._

 _Cinch is to be revoked from her position as mayor immediately and Marion Weseluck will be reappointed._

" _How on earth did they find out?!_ " she shrieked, ripping the paper. "That Neighsay! He's just as bad as Cobalt Star and Starlight!"

Cinch stormed out of her house, not caring about her hair being all over the place. But this was not a wise decision, because outside of her house was a large crowd, some of them holding guns, knives, bottles, pitchforks, or torches. A couple of people were even holding chainsaws.

"Because of _you_ ," snapped a young adult woman, "my younger sister was killed and my husband was injured!"

"My mother was killed because of you!" snapped Indigo Zap. "And to think I was foolish enough to vote for you."

"My youngest sister was killed and another one of my sisters injured!" came Rare Find.

"My daughter got injured trying to protect her cousin!" cried Torch.

"My eldest nephew got hurt trying to protect my eldest daughter too!" this came from Sapphire.

"Why are you all blaming me?!" Cinch snapped. "I tried to improve our little town, but you're so ungrateful."

"You've refused to allow gay people to marry!" shouted Trixie.

"You've gone and banned non-Christian holidays!" added Applejack.

"You've banned music from being performed live!" hissed Rarity.

"My daughter is stuck in hospital because of the riots!" cried Twilight Velvet.

"You abused me!" fumed Neighsay.

"You nearly drove one of my high school friends to suicide!" shouted Emily.

"You abused students when you were principal!" said Luna.

"You've banned fictional books like _Daring Do_!" cried Rainbow Dash.

"You've raised taxes to keep money for yourself!" said Number Crunch.

"You've banned alcoholic drinks!" said Big Macintosh.

"You've had me arrested for parking in the wrong spot!" shouted Autumn Leaves.

"You were a horrible guardian to Starlight Glimmer!" screamed Sunset.

"You've made it so my late mother voted for you, you wretched bitch!" yelled Flash.

"You're causing us all to yell!" shouted Vincent, louder than most voices. There was so much shouting and yelling that Shining Armor fired his gun at one of Cinch's windows to silence the crowd. Cinch grimaced under her breath; arguing with the police out loud would have been a nightmare.

"Now everyone listen up," said Shining Armor. "I know Cinch has done terrible things, but we mustn't kill anyone no matter how bad people get."

"I... I guess so..." sighed Twilight Velvet, slowly walking away.

"And as for you, Abacus Cinch," said Shining Armor, "you are under arrest for becoming mayor under false votes, abuse, blackmail, and being a general pain in the ass." More people slowly walked off as the police arrested the false mayor.

However, a young adult at nineteen remained close behind with a pistol he'd picked up from the ground. When the police were out of harm's the way, it happened.

"I-I can't... breathe..." Cinch collapsed on the ground. It was a shot right in her heart.

"You won't be hurting anyone else anymore!" snapped Timber.

Morning Roast had seen Cinch's fall from a few feet away. "It's not over yet..." she murmured.

* * *

Morning Roast was right. Through her perspective, Cinch's spirit arose from her body. She noticed her dead body and gasped.

"No!" she cried in panic. "NO!"

Cinch tried in vain to re-enter her body and awaken, but she kept phasing through it. She could not believe that she was truly dead.

"How am I ever going to pay back my debt?!"

" _Abacus..._ "

Cinch looked around, frightened. The town seemed empty, and the atmosphere had grown darker, and much spookier as fog enveloped the area.

"Wh-who's there?" Cinch whispered. To her shock, several shadows began circling around her.

"Your crimes have been unforgivable!" snapped Cobalt Star, her daughter right by her side.

"C-Cobalt Star?" exclaimed Cinch. "Starlight?"

"You and your parents abused me right from birth!" Starlight growled. "I would have been better off if my father took custody of me instead of you!"

"For your crimes, you will not be able to rest with us in the afterlife," said Stellar Flare.

"You will have to be on your own for all eternity," added Sunburst.

Before Cinch could protest, the clouds darkened as lightning struck the area, bringing out more and more spirits. They were the spirits of, not just the victims of the Bloody Sunday riot, but those whom Cinch had used in her ballots.

"Your actions have earned you enemies in high and _low_ places, Abacus Cinch," stated Noble Shield.

"By forging our names on your ballots," added Lullaby Strings, "you have made everyone _very_ angry!"

"Did you really think you could get away with ruining our children's lives?" asked Flame Barrier.

"And if it hadn't been for your careless actions as mayor," added Spoiled Rich, "some of us would still be alive!"

"N-now now, everyone," Cinch shivered, backing away from the angered spirits. "Let me explain myself. I was merely trying to make Rainbow Falls better. And desperate times _do_ call for desperate measures, don't they?"

The spirits merely glared at her in disapproval.

"But I can make all better," Cinch insisted. "Trust me!"

"It's too late for fixing it, Cinch!" snapped Icy Heart. "We would love nothing more than to spend eternity beating the daylights out of you!"

"But that would be too _good_ for the likes of you," insisted Scattered Marbles with a cruel smile as he pointed towards the ground.

Suddenly, to Cinch's horror, the ground began to crack open as shadowy demons with eyes of burning yellow shot out. Clearly these demons had come to collect their "debt" from Cinch.

 _"Are you ready?"_ the demons chanted menacingly.

"No!" cried Cinch, backing away. "I not ready at all! I have too many plans in the works!"

 _"Are you ready?"_

The spirits merely watched as Cinch tried in vain to flee, refusing to come to her aid.

"This is all just a minor setback to a major operation," Cinch insisted before begging on her hands at knees to Justice Stability and Spoiled Rich in a pleading state. "Surely you two would back me up here. All we have to do is be reincarnated into new bodies, and we can be back in business!" But her colleges had no sympathy for her, and kicked her away.

"I'm so close to finally fixing this town," she insisted. "I just need a little more time!"

But her time was up. The demons then shackled Cinch in chains and dragged her towards the cracks in the ground, which had widened into a large, fiery portal to hell.

"No, please!" Cinch begged, grabbing onto the ledge. "Just a little more time!" She gave one last, desperate look to the spirits. "I promise I won't degrade you again! I PROMISE!"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears. As the ledge crumbled away, Abacus Cinch plunged into the fiery pits, screaming in absolute terror. Seconds later, the ground closed with a large blast.

* * *

Morning Roast had to shield her eyes from the blast. But when she looked back, all was tranquil again. The spirits had fled, and all that remained of Abacus Cinch were her glasses.

"Justice has finally been served," Morning Roast thought happily. "The spirits are now at peace."

"They are?" asked Moon Dancer, who walked up to her.

"Yes," Morning Roast nodded. "Now that Cinch is no longer mayor."

"I'm glad to hear, my little sister." Moon Dancer hugged her and the two walked off.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The bit where Cinch was confronted by the spirits was based off the 2009 Disney film,** ** _The Princess and the Frog_** **.**

 **Originally we wanted Lemony Gem to kill Cinch, but Timber seemed like a better fit since he was** **grieving** **for his recently deceased sister.** **In addition, Timber killing Cinch was loosely inspired by Victor Tanzig's "Atrocity" from** ** _The Stories of War_** **.**

 **Initially, we were going to kill off Gloriosa by getting a rattlesnake to bite her, but they are usually docile. So we had a scorpion kill her instead.**


	56. TR&FOAC14 - Peace Dream

Here's the finale of _Rise and Fall_! This has probably been the darkest volume of the series thus far, but for now, it's only the calm before the storm of the next volume, _Demons Within_.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 4 -** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_**

 **Chapter 14 - Peace Dream (Starr, 2010)**

To say that Timber Spruce's murder of Abacus Cinch split everyone in Rainbow Falls and Canterlot would be a massive understatement. When the news broke out, there was an equal number of voices who believed the killing was justified and that Timber should be rewarded, and those who felt it made him just as bad as Cinch and that he should be arrested for that. Shining Armor shared the latter viewpoint, as did Twilight Sparkle, but to their shock and annoyance, neither really happened, especially when it came down to Cinch's shady background.

"I don't trust that guy, Twilight," Song Cue was saying to her while visiting the hospital. "I know Cinch was bad and all, but still..."

"He wasn't too bad when we were younger," said Twilight, "just a bit annoying from time to time. But still, I can't believe he'd stoop to this level."

"It's a shocker to say the least," Song Cue sighed. "And I thought my uncle Scattered Marbles, cousin Boomer, and brother Rocky Ripple were terrible."

"I'm glad I never met those three," said Twilight. "And while at university, just watch your back around Timber."

"I'll keep that in mind, thanks," said Song Cue. "And I'll let the others know too." Just then, Song Cue glanced at her watch.

"Oh shoot, I have to go and babysit Mystic Light," she cried. "See ya, Twilight."

"Bye, Song Cue," called Twilight. On her way out, Song Cue bumped into Rainbow Dash.

"Hey, Songs," she greeted, "just taking Twilight a _Daring Do_ book."

"Looks like the fictional books are back at the library," Song Cue smiled. "Thank our lucky stars."

"Now we can indulge ourselves in fantasy worlds as much as we please," grinned Rainbow Dash.

"Indeed," said Song Cue. "Speaking of fantasies, Mystic Light found one of my old DVDs of _Blue's Clues_. She loves it."

"Oh yeah, the cute puppy who leaves paw prints as clues," Rainbow nodded. "I did enjoy that show as a kid, but I think we both know Fluttershy was the one who would go back to it the most." Both smiled fondly before splitting off to get to their destinations.

* * *

Shooting Star and Comet Tail were both unaware of Cayenne's injury (a coma) until now, and were there to check on her.

"You really wish to do this, little brother?" asked Shooting Star.

"Yes, Shooting Star," he nodded. "Cayenne may have neglected me, but in the end, she is still my sister. And no one deserves to be in a coma."

Shooting Star felt a tear pricking from his eye. "You have the same kindness as your mother." Both brothers headed into Cayenne's room, where she was still sleeping from her coma.

"Hey, Cayenne," said Comet quietly. "I know you can't talk to me right now, but... I'm sorry you ended up this way. Even though you neglected me, you are still my sister. And I hope you heal soon."

"I don't know if you know this," added Shooting Star, "but we lost Lyra in the riot. And we can't lose another sibling."

Cayenne couldn't reply, but she could hear both of her brothers, and she was deep in thought.

 _Comet is seeing me in hospital?_ she thought to herself. _But why... what have I done to deserve his kindness? Comet has been nothing but kind and loving to everyone. And I've been so blind to it because of my selfish ways and listening to my father. Maybe... there is more than just blood relations and riches in life._

Slowly, Cayenne began to open her eyes and regain consciousness once more.

"Comet, Shooting Star, are you..."

But her two brothers were gone.

"Oh... before I could even attempt to apologize..."

Just then, Rare Find, Neon Lights and Electric Sky all came in.

"Sis, you're awake!" gasped Electric Sky.

"Well, duh, of course I'm awake," said Cayenne.

"You were in a coma for days," said Neon Lights. "We were worried sick."

"Just a few minutes ago," said Cayenne. "I heard Comet's voice. And Shooting Star's as well..." The other three were stunned.

"Shooting Star and Comet Tail?!" gasped Rare Find. "They... left months ago."

"But they were here," said Cayenne. "Comet visited me... even though we were so... mean."

"Why would he do that?" asked Electric Sky.

"Guys, look," sighed Cayenne. "Comet spent all his time with our mother because our father always thought of him as a waste of time. Her kindness spread toward him in spades, and Shooting Star was wise enough to listen too. But what about the rest of us? We swept him under the rug too."

"I guess having to work on our own without dad there for us has gotten me to think about things a bit more," said Electric Sky. "My boss always said to be mindful of others and think about how my actions effect people."

"That's true," said Rare Find. "To be honest... I didn't really enjoy my dates with either Juniper or Vignette. They were always boastful and rude."

"And Vinyl Scratch has been pushing me harder at the music shop we work at together," said Neon Lights. "Not to mention she's been telling me about how great her brother Light Party is. Kinda made me think about how much Comet tried to be a supportive brother and we... pushed him away."

"And... he managed to find love by getting to know someone," Cayenne admitted. "I was jumping into it way too fast and... even forcing people to love me at times."

"We should try to reconnect with Comet Tail. I mean for _real_ this time," said Electric Sky.

"You're right," said Rare Find. "We lost Lyra, and she was a complete terror to him. If we die without reconnecting with Comet, we'll regret it in the afterlife."

"Didn't he mention a half-sister via his dad too?" asked Neon Lights.

"We should arrange a meeting with them. Oh, and Song Cue and Emily," agreed Cayenne.

"You need to rest up, sis," said Neon Lights. "You've been out cold for about a week."

"Right," Cayenne agreed. "I wish you guys luck."

"I hope Comet Tail and Shooting Star haven't gone far," said Electric Sky. The remaining three siblings left the hospital to right a wrong that had been going on since 1997.

* * *

Meanwhile, Apple Bloom had gathered her friends at the Sweet Shoppe.

"Why did you call us here?" asked Sweetie Belle.

"Well, ya'll know how much Silver Spoon changed since First Base was talkin' to her, right?" Apple Bloom told them.

"Don't we ever," said Scootaloo.

"Well, Ah gathered ya'll here so we could talk to someone else." She glanced to the side. "Come on out." Diamond Tiara stepped out from behind the chair quietly.

"Diamond Tiara?" gasped Heartsong.

"You sure this is a good idea, AB?" asked Fictionary.

"Ah know it may seem strange," she said, "but, Ah spoke to her at the funeral for the Bloody Sunday victims."

"A lot happened since I last saw you guys," Diamond explained. "I... had a crush on Boomer but he betrayed me and I also saw what my mother was really like."

"Boomer was sent to military school, as I recall," said Sweetie Belle.

"I called him out moments before he went," Diamond told them.

"Well done," said Scootaloo, impressed. "I'm sure Butterscotch would be grateful."

"I bet he would too," said Fictionary.

"I know I am," said Heartsong. "Boomer was a right bully."

Diamond went silent for a moment, thinking about all the times she had hurt the Crusaders and their friends.

"I'm really sorry for being such a bully to all of you," Diamond sighed.

"Well, it's not enough to repay for everything you did..." said Fictionary.

"But... it's a start," Sweetie Belle put in.

"How about you sit down with us for a snack?" asked Heartsong.

"I... suppose I could," Diamond agreed, taking a seat next to Apple Bloom. "Uh... how's Babs going in Manhattan?"

"She's great," smiled Apple Bloom. "Since she first came here, she made two friends, Raspberry Dazzle and Hyper Sonic. She often writes letters to me and vice-versa."

"Do you think it's possible for me to be friends with her again?" asked Diamond Tiara anxiously. "Especially after... you know."

"It may take work," said Apple Bloom, "but you'll get there."

"I guess forgiveness is a long road, huh?" said Diamond.

"That's what mah Granny Smith and Grand Pear could tell ya," Apple Bloom nodded.

"Then I'll keep doing my very best," said Diamond; she smiled as she saw the Crusaders in a new light. She could free herself of the past from her awful mother and start a new life for herself.

* * *

Later, at the hospital, both Flash Sentry and Shining Armor were visiting Twilight.

"How are you feeling, Twily?" asked Shining Armor.

"Better than I was a couple of weeks ago," said Twilight.

"That's good to hear, Twilight," said Flash. He placed his hand near Twilight's and she gently took hold of it.

"Hey, what's happening here?!" gasped Shining Armor.

"What do you mean... oh!" Twilight realized, and she and Flash blushed.

"We were supposed to tell you _after_ Twilight was released from hospital," Flash explained. "But I guess the cat's out of the bag."

"You look after my little sister, mister," Shining said firmly. "Especially since she could've died in that riot."

"Don't worry," said Flash, though he was a little taken aback by Shining Armor's protectiveness. "I will."

"Shining, you're married with a kid of your own," Twilight grunted. "Why can't you let me have a boyfriend in peace?"

"Uh... oh... well... er..." Shining was a loss for words at Twilight's retort.

"She does have a point," said Twilight Velvet, who was also there to see her daughter. "I think they make an adorable pair."

"Well, your mother seems to be a more supportive person than you at the moment," chuckled Flash, and Twilight laughed too.

"Okay, okay," muttered Shining. "I get the picture. Still," he added, "if cheeking a police officer, even when off-duty, was considered an offense, Flash, you'd have to pay a fine."

"I know," Flash sighed.

"Don't mind him, Flash," chuckled Twilight. "He can be a bit of a joker."

"Wait until Cadance and Night Light hear about this," said Twilight Velvet. "And I bet little Flurry may be excited too."

"How are dad, Cadance and Flurry?" asked Twilight.

"Flurry's really enjoyed my company," said Flash.

"That's great, Flash," smiled Twilight.

"Oh, and guess what?" said Shining Armor. "Flurry Heart and Mystic Light were playing together last week." He got out his phone and showed Twilight a picture of Flurry Heart and Mystic Light playing on a rug with plush toys of Blue and Magenta from _Blue's Clues_.

"Aww, they are so cute!" gushed Twilight.

"Those two may become like Blue and Magenta, that they are best friends for life," smiled Flash.

"That would be so sweet," Twilight smiled.

"When will you be released from the hospital, sweetie?" asked Twilight Velvet. "We really miss you at home."

"Doctor said I should be free to go within a week at the earliest," Twilight explained. "I'd taken on two bullet wounds, don't forget."

"It's hard to forget," Flash sighed. "We're just glad you'll be okay."

"Yeah," said Twilight. "Doctor also advised that I take it easy for at least a few weeks."

"Alright, Twily," nodded Shining. "We'll make sure of that when you come home. You just finish healing up, okay?"

"I will," Twilight promised. Twilight's family members and her boyfriend left the hospital and Twilight was much happier to know she would be home soon.

* * *

At Comet, Saffron and Coriander's house, the two siblings were watching some classic _Thomas and Friends_ on DVD.

"Oh, Douglas was so brave to save Oliver," gushed Saffron.

"Just like how Lemon Hearts was brave to get us to save others from the riot," said Comet. Just then, they and Coriander heard the doorbell.

"I've got it," said Coriander. He was surprised when he saw who was at the door. "What are you doing here?"

"We're here because... we had a lot of time to think," said Electric Sky.

"Does that have to do with me?" asked Comet. Coriander looked over in surprise. He didn't expect his son to come to the door.

"Uh... yes," Rare Find admitted.

"Why are you three here now?" asked Comet. "Seems strange since you neglected me since day one."

"We know," sighed Neon Lights. "And without our father, we've been left to our own devices. We realized that neglect was a crime."

"And you did check on Cayenne," added Electric Sky.

"Even she didn't deserve to end up in this state," said Comet.

"You... really did inherit mother's kindness," Rare Find said quietly.

"We were blind to everything, Comet," Neon Lights told him. "And... we want to try again, for real this time."

"Promise you won't go back to your old ways this time?" Comet said firmly.

"Cross our hearts, Comet," Electric Sky said truthfully.

"Okay..." he agreed. "But just remember, you guys and Cayenne aren't off the hook easily."

"Comet!" called Saffron. "The next episode is about to start. I paused the DVD."

"That's great, sis," said Comet. "Er, mind if we have three others watch with us?"

"Your... er... siblings?" gasped Saffron. "But... I thought they neglected you growing up. That's why you left them in the first place."

"They say they've changed," Comet explained. "I'm taking their word for it, but if they are lying, I think Song Cue is more than willing to take care of them."

"Of course," Saffron nodded, as did her father, who was quiet ever since Comet started talking. "Well... let's go watch the show I suppose." Rare Find, Electric Sky and Neon Lights knew that path to forgiveness from Comet was going to be a very rocky one, but it was at least a start.

The entire riot may have been brutal, and lives were lost, but it also brought out the best in some people. New friendships were made and people repented for their mistakes, and Rainbow Falls would make sure no one as cruel as Abacus Cinch would be mayor again.

* * *

 **AUGUST 9, 2038**

"You killed Cinch, dad?" asked Red Rose.

"I did," he sighed. "I wasn't thinking straight. Twilight and Song Cue didn't let me forget what I did."

"And for a while, both of them were asking me what I saw in your father," Fluttershy told the kids.

"Really? Cousin Song Cue?" asked Quiver. "But she's your favorite cousin. She tells you that every time you see her."

"Things got strained, to say the least," Fluttershy admitted. "But that's a story for another day."

"We'd better get back home, you two," said Timber. "Dinner won't make itself."

With that, the Spruces and Shys left for home, both Red Rose and Quiver Teak wondering just what their parents meant by what they said...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Song Cue's disapproval of Timber Spruce is a nod to how her creator doesn't like Timber with Fluttershy.**

 **Initially, the remaining four of Comet's siblings were not getting a redemption, but we decided to go along with it.**

 **Raspberry Dazzle and Hyper Sonic are the two foals seen in _The Ending of the End - Part 2_ , rallying up the unicorns and Pegasus ponies.**


	57. DW1 - Coming Up

Jeez, this is becoming a habit for me, isn't it? I've finished up half of the next volume, _Demons Within_ , already and I forgot to post it here! Well, wait no longer, for it's finally be posted!

Note that this chapter is shorter than usual, but given how lengthy many previous chapters were, I think it's fair.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 1 - Coming Up (McCartney, 1980)**

 **AUGUST 10, 2038**

It was another peaceful day in the Sentry family, having just gotten over the funerals of Bloody Sunday. Twilight, Flash and their kids, Dusk, Twilight V and Violet, were watching TV in the family room.

"It's a shame such a day exists," sighed Twilight V. "So many people injured or dead."

"I know, my little one," said Flash, hugging his oldest daughter close. "Hardships do exist, but... it was what brought your mother and I together."

"And uncle Shining's ire," Violet giggled.

"Yeah, that too..." muttered Flash.

"But it's been worth it," smiled Twilight.

"How did your relationship start to really take off?" asked Dusk.

"Well," said Twilight, "it was shortly after I got out of the hospital following my recovery from being shot at..."

* * *

 **SEPTEMBER 16, 2015**

It was just a few days before the fall semester could begin.

"I can't believe I'm a senior this year!" Pinkie was saying to her friends. "Oh, but since the rest of you graduated already, I won't see you at school for a whole year. That's a super long time..."

"We know, Pinkie," said Twilight, "and we'll all miss you too." Since being discharged from the hospital, Twilight had been told to take it easy with her movements lest she risked injuring herself.

"We'll still keep in touch with you, Pinkie," said Rarity. "And don't forget, you have your twin sister with you, and some of us have younger siblings attending Canterlot High as well."

"You're right, Rarity," said Pinkie. "And I'll keep them company. I Pinkie Promise. Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!"

"Well, that's great ta hear, Pinkie," smiled Applejack.

"I can't wait to see what the university is going to be like," said Fluttershy. "Mine and Twilight's first year there."

"And Vincent's too," added Rainbow Dash. "As well as Song Cue and Comet."

"Speaking of Comet," said Fluttershy, "he's been acting strange lately."

"What for?" asked Twilight.

"I'm not sure," Fluttershy sighed. "I was with Song Cue and Comet the other day at the shop, and he was deep in thought about something."

"That could be anything," said Rainbow Dash. "Maybe it's about his siblings and how they started turning things around."

"Hopefully it ain't too late for them," said Applejack. "Ah mean, it took the death of Lyra to make them see the light." Twilight's expression soured at the mention of Lyra's name.

"I still can't believe I was friends with her!" Twilight muttered. "How did I not see how cruel she was being to Comet?"

"I did see Lyra and Electric Sky a few times at Canterlot Middle," Rarity admitted, "and before I knew about Comet, I thought they were decent. I guess... some people aren't who they appear to be."

"Like Blueblood?" asked Rainbow Dash. Rarity scowled at the mention of his name. "Sorry, shouldn't have brought that up," Rainbow Dash recoiled.

"Well, maybe we can ask Comet what he's up to... right now," said Pinkie, having spotted him walking over.

"Hey there, Comet," said Twilight.

"Who... oh, hey girls," Comet said suddenly. He was holding something close to him, trying to hide it.

"What's that you've got there, Comet?" asked Twilight.

"Oh, that?" asked Comet. "It's a ring box."

"A ring?!" gasped Fluttershy, her heart pounding with excitement. "Oh, are you planning to..."

"Kind of jumping the gun, aren't we?" asked Rainbow Dash. "Aren't both of you only eighteen?"

"We've both been dating since high school," said Comet. "Plus, we've been major supports in each others' lives. Song Cue helped me to become more confident, I've helped her to slow down and enjoy things..." The blue haired graduate gave a wistful sigh.

"That's so sweet, Comet," smiled Fluttershy. "I approve of you as a cousin-in-law."

"Thank you, Fluttershy," replied Comet. "I look forward to being your cousin-in-law too."

"Only a mere few days after Song Cue's birthday too," said Applejack. "She'll be in fer a surprise."

"She sure will," grinned Comet. "Speaking of lovers, I hear that you and Math made it official, Rarity. Congratulations."

"We sure have," said Rarity. "Thank you, Comet. I realized that all my past attempts at romance all happened way too fast, but... Math and I just took it nice and easy and... now we're a thing."

"And you have a budding relationship with Flash too, Twilight," added Comet.

"M-Maybe..." stammered Twilight.

* * *

Later, down at the campus, many university bound students were already finding houses or had reserved some for new members. Flash and Sunset had done just that for Vincent and Twilight.

"What do you guys think?" asked Flash. From the outside, it looked like they were four individual houses, but on the inside, they were one larger house with an individual space for each.

"It looks very nice," said Twilight. "I think I could get used to the place."

"I agree," said Vincent. "I think Song Cue said she, Orange Sherbet, Comet and Fluttershy are going into a house next to us."

"Oh, haven't you heard?" said Twilight. "Comet wants to propose to Song Cue."

"Oh my goodness, he does?!" gasped Sunset. "That's so sweet."

"They've been together since high school," said Flash, "but are they ready for this so soon?"

"Yeah, that is a good point," said Vincent.

"Well, they've raised Mystic Light together," said Twilight, "and now with school out of the way, they may be able to focus more on their relationship."

"Another good point," said Vincent.

"It's up to them," said Sunset. "I do wonder how Song Cue is going to take this news."

"Same here," said Vincent, "especially since they're both eighteen."

"Would Song Cue's parents and Comet's dad approve?" asked Flash. "And their other relatives?"

"We'll just have to let nature run its course, I guess," said Twilight. "Besides, Fluttershy approves of Comet."

* * *

Next door, Song Cue, Orange Sherbet, Comet Tail and Fluttershy were getting organised at their own house. Math Equation and Rarity were helping them unpack their stuff.

"Thanks for helping us unpack our things," said Song Cue. She was placing a few books into the bookcase.

"We're glad to help," replied Math.

"Are you guys excited for your first year here?" asked Rarity, as she was helping Fluttershy get some of her clothes into her drawers and wardrobe.

"I'm a bit nervous, actually," said Comet. "I only just found out who my real dad is and my half-sister, not to mention my other siblings started to connect with me again."

"Well, they are doing courses here," said Rarity. "I've heard some of the other university people mention that."

"Well, I guess Rare Find has been held back due to being a slacker," said Comet. "Before Top Marks left, he's been rather lazy. Cayenne's mostly been flirting with other guys on campus until she started to change that. And Neon Lights and Electric Sky are on the younger side anyway."

"I doubt Lyra would've even made an attempt to change," said Song Cue.

"You're right," Comet agreed. "She was always the worst of the bunch. She was a bully to me even when I was a baby."

"That's not the way to do things," grunted Song Cue. "And babies don't know if they've done anything wrong. Babies need patience and gentle mentoring, like what we did with Mystic Light."

"She's growing up fast, isn't she?" giggled Fluttershy.

"Oh yes," said Comet. "Firelight gives us updates about Mystic Light all the time. She's been getting into _Blue's Clues_ lately, oh and we even saw the new Wiggles TV series, _Ready, Steady, Wiggle_. She's loving it."

"Oh yes, Emma, Lachy and Simon all took over from the old group we grew up with," Rarity nodded. "I heard they're doing well."

"Mystic Light loves seeing Emma do her dancing," smiled Song Cue. "Emma's turning into quite the popular Wiggle indeed."

"It's good to see Mystic's enjoying herself," said Math. "I bet you're going to miss seeing her while you're here."

"Yeah," sighed Comet.

"She's got a good dad to look after her," said Orange. "Besides, when the holidays roll in, you can check in with her."

"Well, there's that," said Comet.

"Indeed," said Song Cue. "For now, we gotta pick what courses we gotta do for our future jobs. I'm thinking I'd want to be a preschool teacher."

"I majored in astronomy in high school," said Comet.

"I'll do a course in animal studies," said Fluttershy. "Maybe I'll even open a shelter for cats and dogs."

"That's so sweet," said Orange. "I may do a cooking course myself."

"Sounds like you four have a rough idea on what to do already," said Math. "That's half the battle."

"I think we're all going to have a great time doing this," said Comet.

"Maybe once we're all done here, we can show you around the campus," Math offered.

"Oh, I'd love that," said Song Cue.

"That would be fun," said Fluttershy. "I wonder if we'll meet some new friends around here."

"As long as we don't run into a certain green haired murderer," Song Cue muttered to herself.

"Something up, Song Cue?" asked Math.

"Oh, I've been a bit distracted with things lately, Math," Song Cue admitted. "I know Cinch was awful and all, but the guy that killed Cinch... Twilight told me she knows him from her time at Canterlot Elementary."

"Who is he?" asked Math.

"Timber Spruce," Song Cue explained. "Twilight said that he was annoying at times, but she didn't expect him to stoop as low as to kill somebody."

"Yikes," gasped Rarity. "I guess we'd all better take caution. Do the others know?"

"I heard people were split as to whether or not he was right in doing so," said Comet.

"That's one way of putting it," said Orange. "It's like how Whiplash had attacked and beaten Scattered Marbles up to his last breath."

"Except Cinch's death was quick and sort of painless," added Math.

"I suppose," said Song Cue, "but it's still wrong to kill others."

"It is scary," agreed Fluttershy. "I guess we'd better avoid him as best we can."

* * *

After both groups were done unpacking, Flash, Sunset, Math and Rarity decided to meet up and show their friends around the campus.

"Down this way, from where the houses are, is the library," said Math, gesturing toward a large cream colored building. Vincent and Comet silently counted "three, two, one", knowing who was going to geek out over it...

"Oh my gosh, I could definitely use those books for my research for my course!" The group let out light chuckles at Twilight.

"Further this way," said Rarity, looking over at another building, "is the cafeteria. I'm sure we'll all arrange some times to have a nice lunch or something."

"That would be lovely," said Orange. "I can't wait to see what food they have on the menu there."

"They got an internet cafe nearby, don't they?" asked Vincent.

"Yeah, I think they do," said Orange. "We'll have to check it out when we get a chance."

"It's a shame Pinkie's not here to join us," said Song Cue.

"She'll be here next year," said Flash. "We can still talk to her."

"There's no limit as to how long you can attend college, is there?" asked Vincent.

"I don't believe there is," said Sunset. "You choose whatever courses you wish and get your certificates at the end of the course."

"That seems simple enough," said Twilight.

"It's going to be an interesting time to say the least," said Flash.

"I look forward to studying in peace," said Twilight. "Especially after the harshness of what happened during summer."

"I say we all needed some peace following Cinch's reign of terror," agreed Math.

"With Weseluck back as mayor, things should go smoothly," said Sunset.

"Hopefully," said Comet, "but anything could still happen whether at Rainbow Falls or Canterlot."

"Let's just enjoy our time out here," said Fluttershy. "This place looks so amazing." As the group continued the tour around campus, Comet felt the ring box in his pocket.

"It's a group setting," Comet said under his breath. "I want Song Cue and I to be by ourselves." He looked on with a small smile, thinking back to him and Song Cue watching Disney movies and how the couples were usually alone with the moonlight when they finally married, or in the cases of _Bambi_ , _The Lion King_ and _Lady and the Tramp_ , became mates. Song Cue and Comet would often sing love duets from these movies together.

"And down this way is a park where we can..." Sunset broke off in surprise. "Uh... guys..."

"What is it, Sunset?" asked Rarity. Sunset directed her friends' attention to someone sitting on a bench.

"I see what you mean," said Twilight, her body feeling stiff and uncomfortable at the familiar green hair. "Let's go somewhere else."

Fluttershy was the last to leave; something about that green hair looked familiar to her, but she couldn't put her finger on it as to why.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Though not mentioned in the chapter, the house Song Cue, Comet, Fluttershy and Orange moved into used to be where Lyra, Juniper, Vignette and Rare Find used to be. But since Lyra was killed, Rare Find kicked the other two out and decided to move somewhere else to allow Comet and the Shy/Cues to move in.**

 **Emma's popularity in the Wiggles is actually true. In later years, she got her own spinoff TV show named after her. Lachy got one as well.**


	58. DW2 - Look at Me

Here's chapter two, another short(ish) one.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 2 - Look at Me (Lennon, 1970)**

 **DECEMBER 5, 2015**

At Canterlot University, classes had officially begun on September 21, with finals taking place between December 7 to 11 before classes resumed on January 4, 2016. For Vincent and his friends, the last few months had been quite uneventful, but now finals were about to take place.

"What do we have to do in finals?" asked Song Cue, nervous at the fact the finals were coming in quicker than she anticipated.

"It will be okay, Song Cue," said Sunset as calmly as she could. "It's very normal to be nervous at this time of year."

"We just need to go at our own pace, and we'll be fine," assured Rarity. "It gets easier and easier when you've done it a few years."

"I guess so," sighed Song Cue. "The school terms usually ended later than this."

"Maybe it's college terms that are different to high school?" asked Comet.

"I guess that explains it," said Fluttershy. "It will give us more time to prepare for the holidays."

"I can't wait for Christmas this year," said Orange. "Dad's found a new dessert that he wants us to make together."

"What's it called?" asked Comet.

"Apple and blueberry jelly treats." Orange Sherbet showed Comet the recipe on his phone.

"Oh, wow," said Comet. "That does look delicious. I may have to look that up and make it with my family too."

"I've invited Flash to celebrate Hanukkah with my family again this year," said Twilight.

"When does it begin?" asked Vincent.

"Tomorrow," Twilight replied.

"Man, that's early," said Song Cue. "I hope you have a fun filled eight days."

"I sure will," Twilight smiled. "Sounds like you're going to have a fun Christmas too."

"Fluttershy, Heartsong and I all love to take it in turns to sing various Christmas songs for our family when we get together," Song Cue grinned. "Comet is going to be spending time with us too."

"Ooh, first time spending Christmas with them, Comet?" asked Rarity.

"I've been spending Christmas with these guys since we met," Comet admitted.

"Oh, I see," said Rarity.

"Who else is planning to spend their holiday with another's family?" asked Orange.

"I know that Flash and I will be at home with our dad and Fictionary," said Vincent. "After he's spent Hanukkah with Twilight, of course."

"I'm going away for the holidays," smiled Sunset. "My family is really excited to go."

Vincent was surprised by that bit of news. "You are?" he asked. "Where? When?"

"During break, for about a week or so," Sunset explained.

"That sounds like fun, Sunset," said Twilight. "Hope you have a good time."

"But that means we may not see each other over Christmas," said Vincent, sounding disappointed.

"I'll make some time afterwards," Sunset comforted. "You have your other friends to keep you company."

"I suppose," sighed Vincent.

"Where will you and your family be going?" asked Song Cue.

"We'll be visiting the United Kingdom," Sunset grinned. "Mom says we may be seeing some heritage railways in the area."

"Can't I come with you?" asked Vincent hopefully.

"Sorry, Vincent," said Sunset. "We already planned the holiday well ahead of time."

"Oh..."

"We've got quite a bit of activity going on here," said Orange. "Making food, wrapping gifts, singing carols, you name it."

"Yeah, Sunset will be back before you know it," added Twilight.

"I'm sure there will be day trips for your family to look forward to, Vincent," said Rarity. "Maybe to the zoo or out to dinner."

"Might be a bit cold to head to the zoo, perhaps," Vincent pointed out.

"Oh yes..." Rarity said quietly. "I guess I must have been thinking about Australia's Christmas."

"It would be nice to go there for the holidays," said Comet to Song Cue. "I heard that it's one of many places on the planet where it's always summer during Christmas time."

"Oh, that would be amazing," said Song Cue. "I've always wanted to see some koalas and kangaroos in their homeland."

"They are just beautiful animals, aren't they?" gushed Fluttershy.

"They sure are," said Comet. "I remember seeing one of the new Wiggles songs about koalas: 'Koala-By'. It was Lachy's first song that he wrote as the purple Wiggle."

While everyone was excitedly chatting about potential ideas for the holidays and other random bits of trivia, Vincent was very unfocused.

"It's not going to be the same without Sunset..." he said to himself.

* * *

Sunset and Vincent decided to spend as much time together as they possibly could before the former went away on holiday. After hearing the lake had completely frozen over, they decided to go ice-skating.

"Do you think the ice is thick enough?" asked Vincent.

"I believe so," said Sunset. After doing her skates up, she went onto the ice.

"Glad to see you guys out here," said Rainbow Dash, who was with Soarin.

"Oh, hey Soarin, hey Rainbow Dash," greeted Vincent as he followed Sunset onto the ice. "How are you both doing?"

"Going good," said Soarin. "My mom's running out to get our Christmas tree, and dad is getting ideas on what to do for Christmas dinner at my house."

"Maybe he'll invite Dashie for the ride?" joked Vincent.

"Uh... well, I wouldn't be opposed to the idea of visiting Soarin for Christmas..." Rainbow said quietly. Vincent and Sunset chuckled at Rainbow's blushing.

"This will also be my first Christmas without aunt Firefly," Rainbow Dash sighed sadly afterwards. "She always made the best Christmas cookies."

"Oh, we're sorry to hear that," said Sunset. "I also lost uncle Clerk File in the riot too."

"Yikes..." said Soarin. "Sorry to hear, Sunset."

"But I'm sure they will be watching over us," said Rainbow Dash. "And they'll be with us in spirit."

"They sure will," agreed Vincent.

"And I will be there in spirit too," said Sunset to Vincent. "I'll be just in another country though."

"I know," said Vincent.

"Be sure to send postcards," said Soarin.

"You bet I will," smiled Sunset. "Who knows? Maybe I'll run into the real Stepney while I'm away."

"Oh yeah, I think you mentioned he was that terrier tank engine who visited Sodor," said Rainbow Dash.

"And somehow became a full time resident there," Vincent muttered.

"But Rusty rescuing him was so sweet," said Sunset. "They formed such a special connection."

"I suppose Percy being exposition for Douglas the whole time would have been boring," Vincent admitted.

"And it was rather cool seeing Rusty go off against those bigger diesels," Soarin added.

* * *

Meanwhile, far away from the bustle of activity from the frozen lake, Timber was watching all by himself.

"I don't blame them for staying away," Timber sighed. "Not after what I did..." The nineteen year old had only barely escaped arrest a few months back, but he still heard angry voices from passers by and people staying away from him.

"Why did Cinch have to exist..." he muttered, thinking back to that day...

* * *

 **AUGUST 20, 2015**

The crowd had slowly disassembled as the now disgraced Abacus Cinch was taken away by the police. Timber Spruce was among the people who still remained as he witnessed her arrest. Despite the relief knowing that she wouldn't be a bother to anyone anymore, he was not happy. His sister Gloriosa Daisy had died a few days earlier after being stung by a scorpion, and her allergy had resulted in death by suffocation.

Before that, she'd broken out of hospital and robbed Mistmane Meadows of potted plants to help a forest regrow... or so she believed. Before that, she'd had her face scarred in the events of Bloody Sunday and in hospital, she'd seen her own reflection of her face and snapped. And long before all of that, she'd witnessed her parents' remains and had gotten sick upon the mere sight.

As far as Timber was concerned, Gloriosa had begun to lose her grip on reality when their parents died that fateful Christmas Eve, but it was Cinch's actions as mayor that had finished the job. Cinch had destroyed Gloriosa, both inside and out. The more he thought about it, the angrier Timber became.

He took notice of a pistol on the ground that had been dropped by someone; he knew how a gun worked despite not having been trained to use one, and inside, many emotions were screaming at him. Half were telling him not to kill Cinch, whilst the other half told him to do the deed. One bullet was all it took; one bullet right to Cinch's chest!

"You won't be hurting anyone else anymore!" was the last thing Abacus Cinch had heard before she world around her went dark, and her body went limp. Timber then dropped the pistol to the ground, thinking his sister's death had been avenged.

The police were shocked with what had happened, but Shining Armor was furious.

"What the hell have you just done?!" he shouted at Timber.

"I did the right thing!" snapped Timber. "That bitch deserved to die for what she did to everyone!"

"That was not a decision to be made by a citizen like you!" argued Shining Armor. "Just what is wrong with you?!"

"Nothing! Is there anything you could tell me as to what I should've done instead?" Shining Armor was so furious he couldn't come up with an answer. "I thought not!" snapped Timber.

"Jesus Christ..." groaned Shining Armor, face-palming.

"You should have let us handle her in custody!" came Lieutenant Night Light. "We strictly advised everyone not to kill Cinch, otherwise we'd be as bad as her."

"He's going to have to come with us down at the station then," sighed Shining Armor. "I don't want to head back there with an empty back seat."

Timber felt his heart pounding hard at those words and his legs felt numb and weak.

"You heard us," said Night Light. "Get in, now!" Before Timber could move a step forward, he had fallen to the ground and his vision went dark.

* * *

Timber first came to once more when he felt a light shining in his face. He groaned once he came to.

"W-what's happening?" he mumbled.

"You're at the interrogation room for the Rainbow Falls Police Department," said a voice. Shining Armor was right behind him. Timber was still feeling a bit groggy, but his vision soon cleared up.

"You passed out," muttered another police officer who was with Shining Armor. "But, as you're now awake, we can get to business."

Timber was about to say something else when he saw a familiar figure standing nearby. The figure had a sorrowful look on his face, and was about to cry.

"Uncle Burnt Oak..." Timber whispered quietly. He couldn't imagine how his uncle was feeling about the whole situation.

"W-why..." he said quietly. "How could you have done this..."

"If... if Cinch escaped from prison, she could have hurt someone else..." Timber whispered.

"I don't even know if you'll ever be lived down for this, Timber," sighed Burnt Oak.

"What else was I meant to do?" asked Timber.

"Think about your choice," Burnt Oak said, trying to remain calm.

"You're often at work, mom and dad died when I was teenager, my sister just died; how could I think with all that in my head?!" Timber growled. He was on verge of tears himself.

"Believe me, I know what it's like to lose someone close to me too," said Burnt Oak.

"At least you were able to talk to your friends about it," retorted Timber. "I was bullied in school so much and the friends I did make ended up drifting away!"

Burnt Oak looked shocked at his nephew's outburst. Had that really been going on the entire time he was in school? Timber didn't know what more to say. Instead, he rested his face against the palms of his hands, crying softly.

"Timber's mental health will only get worse if he's locked up..." said Burnt Oak softly.

* * *

Some days later, it was time for the trial. The atmosphere in the room was tense and silent, as it always seemed to be.

"We are here today to discuss what Timber Spruce had done to the false mayor, Abacus Cinch," said the judge. "While many view this as a heroic act, others believe it to be a violation of the law. We are going to be hearing both sides of the argument now."

The first member of the side against Timber got her book out. "No person should ever have the right to kill another," she said. "Was Cinch a pain? Yes, and laws were falsely changed. But she was still a person. And people should be treated humanely, no matter how awful they were."

"She also nearly had a student commit suicide," came a judge from the opposite group. "That woman was nothing but a bully who loved to make people miserable. Timber has done the world a favor to make sure Cinch won't ruin this place any further."

"He has broken the law with murder," argued another jury member on the against side.

"The Cinch family has the notorious reputation for blackmail and obstruction of justice," protested another member of the for side. "If it had not been for Abacus Cinch, the Bloody Sunday riots never would have happened, and those people never would have died."

There was a pause in the courtroom as some of the people pondered these words.

"If that were true," said a member for the against side, "then Cinch should have been arrested before she could have become mayor."

"She manipulated the system," argued a defense jury. "The same way she did so when she was principal of Canterlot High School."

The argument went on like this for what seemed like hours, and Timber felt his head spinning with sickness.

"When will this madness end?" he wondered to himself.

"I don't know, Timber," whispered his uncle. Before long, Burnt Oak was asked to take the stand. He nervously went up and faced the whole crowd.

"Mr. Oak," the attorney began, "tell us in your own words what drove Timber Spruce to shoot and kill Abacus Cinch."

"Ever since he was a teenager, his world began to turn upside down," Burnt Oak began. "During Christmas Eve, his parents, my sister and brother-in-law, they went to collect the Christmas tree to decorate from... my tree farm." He was trying not to cry when he came to his next bit. "And... both of them were crushed by a tree that blew over in the wind while it was in the middle of being cut down." The jury was quiet as Burnt Oak continued.

"My nephew and niece became very withdrawn from others. Gloriosa often throwing herself into studying or trying to care for Timber, but failing to connect emotionally. Timber was often bullied in school and any friends he did make drifted away. And I... I lived far away and had work, so I wasn't there most of the time. Gloriosa was Timber's last source of comfort and support. But because of Abacus Cinch, she was taken away from him."

A hushed silence fell over the courtroom once more as no one was quite sure what to say.

"Timber is not a bad guy," insisted Burnt Oak. "He just didn't think right because he was distraught over losing his sister."

"Well..." said one of the jury on the side for Timber, "so long as this never _ever_ happens again." Before long, the jury had made a verdict. "We the jury find Timber Spruce... not guilty."

Some of those in the courthouse were in shock.

"But he killed someone!" cried one.

"This is an outrage!" cried another protester.

"He's guilty!" said a third. "He should be locked up like everyone else who's been a killer."

"Order!" commanded the judge. "Any more complaints, and the only ones going to prison will be _you_ for harassment!"

Everyone who was not happy with Timber being let go went silent, but glared at him as the young adult left with his uncle.

"Just ignore them, Timber," Burnt Oak advised. "Those haters are always looking for something to complain about."

"I... guess," he sighed. If he felt lonely before, he felt like his whole world was empty now.

* * *

 **DECEMBER 5, 2015**

Timber opened his eyes and realized how cold the weather was getting.

"Better go back home..." he sighed. "Since no one's gonna talk to me..."

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Like the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of** ** _The Rise and Fall of Abacus Cinch_** **, Timber Spruce's parts draw heavily from** ** _The Stories of Sodor_** **.**

 **Song Cue's interest in Australia is reflected from her creator's own home.**

 **Apple and blueberry jelly treats are an actual recipe that can be found on the Woolworths website.**


	59. DW3 - Behind That Locked Door

Here's chapter three!

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 3 - Behind That Locked Door (Harrison, 1970)**

 **DECEMBER 19, 2015**

It was six days before Christmas, and it was also the day that Sunset and her family would begin their holiday in the United Kingdom. Vincent's family were seeing her family off.

"Have a wonderful time, everyone," smiled Page Turner warmly.

"Oh, we will," said Celestia. "It will be absolutely amazing to be seeing all those engines being preserved in the UK."

"Shame you couldn't come with us, Vincent," said Solar Crystal.

"We'll be sure to send you postcards," added Nyx.

"I'll miss you, Vincent," Sunset gave her boyfriend a hug.

"So will I," said Vincent, trying not to cry.

" _All passengers for the next flight to the United Kingdom, please start boarding from gate number five,_ " came the loudspeaker.

"That's us," said Sombra. "You guys have a wonderful Christmas and we'll be back before you know it."

"Maybe we can invite mom, Scootaloo and First Base over," said Fictionary. "That would be fun."

"It would be interesting to see how Scoots' and First Base's respective relationships are going," said Flash.

"And how have you been going on yours, Flash?" chuckled Fictionary.

"It's only been a few months," Flash insisted. "I'm the oldest out of the five of us, and yet I was the last to be in an official relationship."

"Well, out of Twilight's group, Fluttershy is the only one who hasn't found anyone yet," Fictionary pointed out. "Though she does deserve someone to love her..."

"Big Mac doesn't count, right?" asked Vincent.

"Well, I mean, they were into each other for a while, and then Sugar Belle came into the picture," Fictionary sighed. "But at least they are all on good terms."

"Apparently, Sugar Belle has known Big Mac since they were both in middle school," Flash admitted. "And they also went to the 2010 Fall Formal together."

"I guess they did have more of a chance from the start," said Fictionary.

"Has he proposed to her yet?" asked Vincent. "Or is he working on some crazy way in doing so?"

"I believe Shining Armor's been drafted in to help with a crazy proposal," chuckled Flash.

"Oh dear," laughed Fictionary. "Poor Sugar Belle will be so confused."

"I guess we'll have to see what happens for them," said Page Turner, checking his watch. "It's getting close to lunch. Why don't we get something from one of the nearby fast food places?"

"Ooh, yum!" said Fictionary. "Can we get some pizza, please?"

"Yeah, pizza sounds good," said Flash. "And maybe some garlic bread too."

"And dipping sauce," said Vincent. "Can't forget the dipping sauce."

"Okay guys," smiled Page Turner. "Let's go to a nice pizza place."

* * *

Down at the nearest pizza shop, Butterscotch was with his grandparents.

"Hey Butterscotch, Rose Petal, and Bumblestripe," greeted Page Turner.

"Oh, hello Mr. Turner," said Butterscotch.

"Great to see you, Butterscotch," said Fictionary, giving him a hug in greeting.

"Hey Fictionary," he smiled back. "How are you doing so close to Christmas?"

"Doing wonderful," she replied. "Oh, I have your gift wrapped up for you back at my house."

"I can't wait to see it," said Butterscotch.

"Maybe you guys can come to our house so you can get it," Page Turner suggested.

"That would be lovely," said Butterscotch. "Thank you, Mr. Turner."

"We could all get our lunch and sit down to eat together," said Rose Petal. "It's nice and warm in the cafe area."

"Yeah, way better than standing out in the snow, waiting for the bus or train to arrive," said Vincent.

"The trains have snowplows, right?" asked Butterscotch. "Well, if Thomas bothers to wear his," he added with a laugh.

"After his stunt the first time where Terence had to pull him out, I'm surprised he didn't wear his snow plow again when Emily had to take Annie and Clarabel instead," said Flash.

"I guess he's a bit stubborn," said Bumblestripe. "That can happen."

It wasn't long before everyone ordered their food and were tucking in.

"I have your present ready at my house too," said Butterscotch to Fictionary.

"Oh, yay!" she grinned. "We can do a present swap! I can't wait."

"I got a cool gift from Twilight during my visit to her on Hanukkah," smiled Flash. "She loved the gift I gave her too."

"I... hadn't been able to give Sunset her Christmas gift yet," said Vincent quietly.

"You can give it to her when she comes back," said Page Turner.

"Why, where'd she go?" asked Butterscotch.

"She's gone to the United Kingdom with her family," Vincent explained.

"That's really cool," said Butterscotch. "Maybe she'll show us some pictures when she returns."

"And maybe she'll bring back something from the UK to show us," said Rose Petal.

"Yeah," sighed Vincent.

* * *

After lunch, the Sentries went back home while Butterscotch and his grandparents went to their houses to collect the gifts that Fictionary and Butterscotch got for each other.

"Come on, guys!" cried Fictionary excitedly. "Let's get it to Butterscotch."

"Hold up, I've got the key," called Page Turner.

The family jumped into the car and they drove off. On the way, they passed by the twins' house and they saw Scootaloo and First Base exchanging gifts with Rumble and Silver Spoon out the front.

"Aww, that is sweet," said Flash. "Looks like Scoots and First Base are doing well with their lovers." Whilst Flash and Fictionary felt happy for their half-siblings (step-siblings, in Fictionary's case), seeing all four of his half-siblings (full-brother, in Flash's case) with their own lovers made Vincent feel more lonely than ever.

"Oh, Sunset..." he trailed. "I wish you were here..."

* * *

Meanwhile, all the way in the United Kingdom, Celestia, Sombra, Solar, Sunset, Luna and Nyx had just checked into their hotel room at the Hilton Bournemouth.

"Here we are, everyone," said Luna. "What do you think?"

"Wow, this looks fantastic," said Nyx. She was already at the window, looking out over the snow-covered landscape.

"Okay, girls, you go and claim your beds," said Celestia, "and maybe we'll go and see what the United Kingdom has to offer."

"Alright, mom," said Solar Crystal. She was already bolting to the bedrooms, dragging her suitcase behind.

"Hey, don't leave us with all the luggage!" cried Sunset, chasing after her.

"Cousins, wait up!" Nyx quickly followed.

* * *

"Oh, the rooms look really nice," said Solar. She put her luggage down and got out her toy bear, Paddington.

"Indeed," agreed Nyx. She took out her own toy, an orange cat she called Whiskers.

"I think we're all going to have a good time," said Sunset. She got out her toy as well; a toy version of Nala from _The Lion King_.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see those heritage railways that we've looked up online," said Nyx. "And one of them was in the Railway Series, wasn't it? The Bluebell Railway?"

"Yep, and one of their engines there is called Stepney," Sunset confirmed.

"Oh yeah, the feisty terrier tank that... Rusty saved and brought to Sodor?" Solar blinked. "Wait, just how did that happen?"

"Well, I've spoken with Vincent, Math and Song Cue about it," said Sunset, "and Song Cue believes that because Rusty hadn't received his own story from Awdry for some reason, they decided to make the story based around him rescuing Stepney. Vincent also admitted that exposition from Percy to Douglas would have been a bit of a boring episode. And Math also commented that it was like a bridge-gap between the narrow gauge and standard gauge stories."

"That does make sense," said Solar.

"Plus, the bond with Stepney and Rusty is pretty cute," agreed Nyx.

"Are you girls alright in there?" asked Sombra from outside.

"We're okay, uncle Sombra," said Nyx. She and her cousins quickly put their toys down and rushed to the living room.

"Alright, guys," said Luna. "We've been searching online and we're trying to figure out where to go today. Do you have any suggestions?"

"What about Penny Lane?" asked Sunset. "Or Abbey Road?"

"Sounds good to me," said Celestia. "What do you the rest of you say?"

"Yeah, I think we could do that," said Luna.

"I think that's a good idea, Sunset," agreed Solar. "How do we get there?"

"I have the destination on Google Maps," said Sombra. "Let's get in the car."

"I call shotgun!" cried Sunset, dashing to the car.

"You got shotgun last time, baconhead!" argued Solar Crystal, giving chase.

"Hey, no fair!" cried Nyx. "Wait for me!"

"Girls, I have the... keys," sighed Celestia. "Oh well. Come on, Sombra and Luna. Let's follow them."

"Sunset can drive, can't she?" asked Sombra.

"But she probably doesn't know that we drive on the other side of the road in the United Kingdom," said Celestia.

"That would make sense, Celie," Luna agreed. "Come on, let's go catch up."

* * *

The family went to where the car was parked.

"Uh... is it just me, or is the steering wheel on the wrong side of the car?" asked Sunset.

"That's what I was trying to stop you for, Sunset," chuckled Celestia. "People in the UK drive on that side of the road."

"They do?"

"Yes, I've been here before," said Celestia. "Even before we took you into our family."

"Oh..." Sunset looked embarrassed. "Well, now I feel stupid..."

"Never mind, Sunset," said Sombra. "Come on, let's get to Abbey Road, and then we'll go to Penny Lane."

Everyone got in and Celestia started to drive down there.

* * *

"So, Abbey Road is known for being associated with the Beatles somehow," said Nyx.

"It's got one of the most iconic album covers of the 60s," said Sunset. "And it even sparked a rumor that Paul McCartney had died in 1966."

"Now that's the strangest rumor ever." said Solar. "Paul's still alive."

"Some people will believe anything," sighed Sunset. "If anyone told me that Paul was dead, I'd say that they're crazy."

"Well, I thought it was crazy when Blossomforth told me in 2012 that the original Wiggles were retiring," said Nyx, "but that actually turned out to be true."

"Especially after Greg's sudden comeback earlier on in the same year," agreed Solar.

"Well, we can't change things now," said Sunset. "And besides, everyone involved has moved on from that."

"Indeed, Sunset," said Luna. "Oh, it looks like we're almost at Abbey Road."

"Whoa!" gasped Sunset. "This is what it looks like in person?"

"Indeed, Sunset," smiled Celestia. "What do you think of the place?"

"I could just imagine what it was like to be John, Ringo, Paul and George when they did that album cover," said Sunset.

"It does look amazing," said Nyx. "Maybe you should take some pictures back to show Vincent. He'll love it."

"That's a good idea," said Sunset. "He'll love it." She eagerly got her phone out and took pictures as the family drove along.

"Those pictures look awesome, Sunset," said Nyx.

"Thanks," said Sunset.

"I wonder what Penny Lane will be like," said Solar.

"Covered in money?" chuckled Nyx. "That might be hard to drive down."

"It's not like that," giggled Sunset.

"Then... what is it really about then?" asked Solar.

"It became the basis of a song Paul wrote about his childhood whilst he was waiting for John at a bus stop," explained Sunset.

"Oh, I see," nodded Nyx. "That's sweet that he included a childhood memory in the song."

"Indeed it is," agreed Sombra. "This was a great idea, Sunset."

"Thanks, dad," she replied. "I think this is the start of a wonderful holiday." _But if only Vincent were here with me as well..._ she thought to herself.

* * *

As the family carried on their little holiday, it didn't escape Celestia and Sombra's notice that Sunset was feeling a bit down.

"Sunset?" asked Celestia. "What's wrong?"

"I was just thinking about... you know... Vincent and how much he would have loved this trip," Sunset sighed.

"He's a big fan of the Beatles too, isn't he?" said Sombra.

"He sure is," nodded Sunset. "He taught me a lot of things that I wouldn't know about them otherwise."

"Well, there's an old saying, Sunset," said Celestia. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

"I guess so," Sunset said quietly.

"It won't be too long a holiday," said Sombra. "And think of all the pictures and souvenirs and stories you can show and tell Vincent when you get back."

"That is something I guess," Sunset admitted. But what Sunset didn't know, was that some darkness was about to set in back at Rainbow Falls...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Big Mac and Sugar Belle's 2010 Fall Formal was touched upon in Rachel's AU, though in the main timeline, events would be more or less unchanged.**

 **As Discord is out of Big Mac's age group, it's Shining Armor helping Big Mac with his crazy proposal to Sugar Belle.**

 **Butterscotch's grandparents' names are finally revealed in the actual story.**


	60. DW4 - Cold Turkey

Warning: This chapter contains implications of sexual themes that are not suitable for minors. Reader discretion is advised.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 4 - Cold Turkey (Lennon, 1969)**

 **AUGUST 10, 2038**

Flash and Twilight's kids looked at their parents with curiosity.

"So, you really didn't trust Timber after he killed Cinch at all, mom?" said Twilight V.

"No," Twilight admitted to her daughter. "Song Cue could tell you the same thing."

"Though she did come close to attacking him a few times," Flash added.

"Yikes," said Dusk. "I wouldn't have wanted to see that."

"I came close to attacking him too," Twilight admitted.

"Goodness me," gasped Dawn Spark. "Really, aunt Twilight? You and Song Cue nearly attacked Timber? That's crazy."

"Not nearly as crazy as when..." Vincent began, before deciding not to finish the sentence. "We'll come to that later."

"What, dad, what is it?" asked Dawn.

"Yeah, uncle Vincent?" said Dusk. "What's crazy?"

"Well... it's sort of... kind of..." Vincent sighed, worrying about how his daughter would take in what he was about to say. "Dawn Spark, I hate to admit this, but... you weren't my first child."

"I wasn't?" asked Dawn with surprise.

"No, you have a half-brother," Sunset confirmed.

" _Half_ -brother?!" gasped Dawn. "I don't understand. How did this happen?"

"That's a bit of a long story," said Vincent, and he began to think back to that fateful Christmas day...

* * *

 **DECEMBER 25, 2015**

Usually, the alarm clock would ring in the morning. But at the Sentry house, on Christmas day, that was a little different.

"Wake up, everybody!" Fictionary's voice rang through the house in excitement.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Flash yawned and rubbed his eyes. "Sis, what's happening?"

"It's Christmas morning!" said Fictionary excitedly.

"Even as a teenager, you do it every Christmas morning," sighed Flash as he reluctantly got out of bed.

"Oh, Flash... Fictionary's always excited when it's Christmas," chuckled Vincent. "Wouldn't surprise me if she did this as an adult too."

"Merry Christmas, guys," smiled Page Turner as he came to his kids.

"Merry Christmas, dad," said Vincent. He was the last of them to wake up.

"This will be a fantastic day," smiled Fictionary. "I can't wait for Scootaloo and First Base to get here with their mom."

"Don't forget aunts Holiday and Lofty as well," said Flash.

"It will be a great big family gathering," said Page Turner. "I'm looking forward to that."

"We'll have to get things ready for the Christmas lunch," said Fictionary. "Last one to the dining room has to do the most dishes."

"Fictionary, get back here," chuckled Flash.

"Wait, if you are going to the dining room, how are we going to set everything up if we don't get the plates and cutlery out from the cupboards in the kitchen?" Vincent called.

"Oh, heh, wrong way." Fictionary sheepishly turned around to the kitchen.

"She does that every year as well," said Vincent to Flash.

"She's so excitable," agreed his brother. "No wonder she and Pinkie get along so well."

"Now that would be a twist if Fictionary and Pinkie were long lost cousins or something," chuckled Page Turner.

"Yeah," said Flash. "I'm still surprised at the fact that Pinkie's related to someone as grumpy as Limestone, stoic as Maud and as shy as Marble. Not to mention their traditional parents."

* * *

The Sentry siblings and Page Turner went about preparing the table and other preparations for their family to arrive at their house.

"I hope auntie Lofty brings her cookies for dessert," said Fictionary.

"And that Scootaloo doesn't eat them all first," added Flash with a laugh.

"I'm sure we'll all get a chance to have some," said Vincent. Just then, the doorbell rang. Page Turner went to answer the door.

"Hello, dad!" Scootaloo was the first to greet him.

"Merry Christmas, dad!" First Base rushed in for a hug.

"Good to see you too, Page Turner," smiled Cindy.

"Likewise, Cindy," Page Turner replied, watching Scootaloo and First Base run inside to meet their siblings. "Always a pleasure seeing you and the twins."

"And how are the other kids?" asked Cindy, following Page Turner into the house.

"We're not kids anymore," said Vincent. "Well, Flash and I, at least."

"But you guys will still be _our_ kids," said Cindy, greeting each of them with a hug.

"That's true enough," said Fictionary. There was another doorbell a few moments later.

"That must be aunt Holiday and auntie Lofty!" said Scootaloo eagerly.

"Hello, everyone," said Lofty. "I hope we didn't arrive too late."

"No, sis," chuckled Cindy. "You and Holiday arrived about the same time as us."

"Thank goodness for that," said Holiday.

"How's everyone doing?" asked Lofty.

"We're doing great." Scootaloo was the first of the group to hug her aunts. "Today is going to be fantastic."

"It sure will be," said Lofty. "After dinner, we can share my cookies."

"As long as you don't pinch them all, Scoot," chuckled Holiday.

"I couldn't resist last year," insisted Scootaloo. "They were so good!"

"Well, they are an old family recipe," Lofty said proudly.

* * *

It wasn't long before the family was listening to Christmas songs from the laptop and opening gifts from one another.

"Aww, cool!" cried Scootaloo. "A skateboard. I can't wait to try this out."

"A new baseball and bat!" grinned First Base. "This will be fun to try out when the warmer seasons roll around."

"Wow, these new _Warrior Cats_ books look so cool!" said Fictionary. "Song Cue said they were fun to read."

"Oh, a new rock 'n' roll shirt," said Flash. "I think I may wear this as soon as possible."

"Is that... a painting of the Beatles?!" gasped Vincent. "Wow, that looks great."

"Looks like they are out on Abbey Road," said Flash.

"Didn't Sunset say she went to the United Kingdom?" asked Holiday.

"Yeah, she did with her family," said Vincent.

"Maybe she decided to check out Abbey Road," said Lofty. "It sounds like fun."

"Yeah, it does," said Vincent. _But it's a shame that I'm not with her..._ he thought to himself.

"She'll be back soon," said Cindy. "It will be alright, Vincent." The day wore on by for Vincent; even though he tried to wear a smile, he couldn't stop wishing Sunset was with him.

* * *

Soon, it was evening, and the guests hugged their family members.

"We had a lovely day, dad," said Scootaloo. "Thanks for having us."

"It was no problem at all," smiled Page Turner.

"Come back anytime, guys," said Flash.

"Maybe we can have Christmas at my house next year," said Cindy.

"That sounds wonderful," said Holiday. "We'll see you all later. Merry Christmas once again."

"Farewell," said Page Turner as everyone left. He glanced at the clock. "Bless me. It's getting a bit late."

"You're right, dad," said Flash. "Let's get to bed."

"I guess I'm tired too," said Fictionary. "I may read a chapter of one of my new books before bed."

* * *

But Vincent wasn't feeling ready to go to bed yet. He felt very restless and upset due to Sunset not being there. More recently, his hair had started to look a lot shaggier, had gotten a bit longer, and he was beginning to grow out a beard. Although Vincent was almost nineteen years of age, he looked more like he was thirty.

"Maybe I can slip out for an evening walk," he said to himself. "But I'll need to dress warmly since it's cold tonight." While his dad and siblings were getting ready for bed, Vincent slipped on some winter clothes.

"I'll go through the window and be back in a few minutes," Vincent said confidently. "No problem." He quietly closed his bedroom door and headed outside through the window.

"Oh my goodness..." he sighed. "Why did our house need to be two levels?!" Vincent then noticed a tree nearby his window. "Maybe I can use that to help me get down." He slowly put one foot out and the other, making his way to the tree.

"I gotta be very careful..." he said to himself. "I have to make sure that I..." He gulped. "Man... I don't think even being a Pegasus can make me lose my fear of heights. Even twelve feet up is too high for me."

Finally, Vincent managed to get to the tree and began climbing down.

"Maybe I should just walk in the front door when I get back," he said to himself. "At least I have my key with me or else I'd be stuck outside in the snow."

Vincent finally got to the ground and began to walk into the cold night.

* * *

"How do penguins and polar bears put up with this cold weather?" Vincent sighed as he ventured out. Many houses were shining with Christmas lights outside, Christmas trees were decorated in the living rooms with the windows open, and some families were eating a nice dinner in the dining room together.

"Glad they're having a good time..." Vincent muttered. But as he carried on, he came across a curious poster.

"What's this?" he said, looking at the poster. It gave details about a party on Christmas day at a local pub, and it went till late at night.

"I did have a good meal before," said Vincent. "But... the cold does make it tempting to eat more food."

"You're telling me," said another voice from further down the street. Vincent was surprised; this wasn't a voice he was familiar with at all.

"Who said that?" he asked. A female was standing down the street that seemed twice his age. She had moderate purple hair with light brilliant aquamarine streaks and moderate mulberry eyes.

"I was just on my way to the party myself," she said. "My sisters were with me but my younger older sister lost the map and my oldest sister forgot something back home."

"I hope they manage to catch up with you soon," said Vincent.

"They'll meet me at the party," said the woman. "Say, I can show you how to get there."

"I'd certainly appreciate it," smiled Vincent. The two started to head to the pub; it was a walking distance away so no car was needed.

"I'm Aria Blaze, by the way," said the older woman. "My sisters and I love to sing Christmas songs at the pub whenever we get a chance."

"I'm Vincent," said the blue-haired young adult. "It's nice to meet you, Aria."

* * *

 **AUGUST 10, 2038**

"Wait a minute," gasped Dawn Spark suddenly. "Aria Blaze sounds familiar..."

"You met with her and her half-sisters last week, right?" asked Flash.

"Yeah, that's right," said Dawn. "Wait... Aria Blaze is my half-brother's mom?"

"Uh... yes," sighed Vincent. "I'm getting to that..."

* * *

 **DECEMBER 25, 2015**

Vincent and Aria soon reached the pub. Everyone was eating meals, Christmas decorations were everywhere, Christmas music was blaring, the whole place was just bustling with activity.

"Whoa," gasped Vincent. "I've never seen the pub like this before."

"Then you haven't lived," said another voice. "Aria, I finally caught the map!" Vincent turned to see the source of the voice, which was a bit higher pitched than Aria's.

"Sonata," sighed Aria, "it's all covered in snow and it's difficult to read. I told you to get another one..."

"I managed to get here, didn't I?" said Sonata with a shrug. "Now where are those tacos? I'm hungry."

"If that's one of your sisters," said Vincent, "then who's the third?"

"I finally found my purse," said a third voice; this one sounded a bit deeper and more sultry.

"Thank goodness, Adagio," said Sonata. "I thought you would have been delayed for hours."

"Aria, Sonata, Adagio?" asked Vincent.

"Our dad had a love for music," Aria explained. "Named all three of us after that, as well as our mothers' respective interests in gems for Adagio's, the night for Sonata's, and for bright colors for mine."

"He must've been a really busy guy," Vincent noted.

"That's one way of putting it," Adagio replied. "Say, I don't think I've seen you on this night out before."

"Oh, that's because I've only... er, just become of age to come out here," said Vincent.

"Well, you know what people say, the more the merrier," said Sonata. "Come on, we'll show you round."

The four of them ventured inside, out of the cold.

* * *

"We booked our table earlier," said Adagio. "It's just us three but there's usually an extra seat. Maybe you could sit with us."

"Sure," said Vincent. He found himself seated next to Aria. It wasn't long before the waitress came up.

"Our favorite musical sisters," she smiled. "Oh, and a new friend."

"This is Vincent," said Adagio. "He's our guest for the night."

"Hello," said Vincent to the waitress.

"Well, we're always happy to have newcomers," she said warmly. "So what can I get you all to start with?"

"Could you get us some wine, please?" said Aria.

"Of course," said the waitress. "Red wine is your usual so that's what I'm assuming you want."

"You're right there," smiled Adagio.

"And what can I get you, Vincent?" asked the waitress.

"A ginger ale, please," said Vincent.

"Coming right up," said the waitress and walked off.

"So, Vincent," said Aria, "you have any siblings?"

"Four," said Vincent. "Two brothers and two sisters. Only Flash is older than me."

"Flash..." said Adagio. "That sounds familiar."

"It does?" gasped Vincent.

"Yes," said Aria. "Is this Flash Sentry you're talking about? We met him as a baby."

"That's him, alright," Vincent confirmed. He was most surprised to hear this news. "Were you friends with my mom?"

"We try to get to know everyone in town," Aria explained. "Your mother saw us in town one day and we knew each other since."

"I see," said Vincent.

The waitress soon came back. "Enjoy, everyone," she said, placing the drinks down.

"Thank you," the half-sisters and Vincent called as the waitress walked off.

"We heard about your mom too, Vincent, and were at her funeral," said Sonata. "That must have been awful..."

"Yeah... It still pains me knowing that she's no longer there," said Vincent.

"Don't worry, Vincent," said Aria. "You have our full support."

"Thanks..." Vincent said quietly. But unknown to Vincent and the sisters, another costumer had come over to chat to a friend on the table next to them. He put his drink down right next to Vincent's drink. When he next looked down, Vincent was surprised.

"That's strange," he said. "I didn't order two ginger ales." The liquids in both glasses looked very similar in color, which made things confusing for both Vincent and the other customer.

The glass that had just been set down was a beer, and the glass Vincent already had was a ginger ale. Unknowingly, Vincent returned the ginger ale glass to the other customer, and then Vincent took a sip from the beer glass.

"Huh?" The other costumer was surprised when he drank Vincent's drink. "I didn't order this..."

"Goodness..." said Vincent, his voice sounding unclear. "That tastes very weird..."

"What's up with Vincent?" asked Sonata.

"Dunno," said Adagio. She then smelled the drink that Vincent had taken a sip from. "Wait, I don't think that drink is ginger ale..."

"You don't think he drank beer do you?" said Aria.

"Didn't he say he became of age?" said Sonata. "He should be okay."

But I'm sorry to say that Vincent wasn't; as you and I know, in America, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 21 to consume alcohol. Not only that, different people have different tolerances to alcohol, and in this case, Vincent could not hold his liquor.

"I don't think he looks okay," said Aria. Vincent was now not thinking straight, and singing "Jingle Bells" off-key while hiccuping. _At least he's not performing on stage,_ Aria thought. _That would've been embarrassing for him._

"Maybe we should get him home," said Adagio.

"But do we know where he lives?" asked Sonata.

"I think I know where his home is," said Aria. "It's not far from here."

"Let's go then," said Adagio, and everyone got up from their seats. "No more drinking for him..." She made sure that all four of them had paid for their drinks, even though Vincent had unintentionally taken another patron's drink.

"I deeply apologize for this," said the waitress who served them. "We'll make sure it doesn't happen again."

"It's not your fault," said Aria. "Another customer left their drink by Vincent's by mistake."

"Well, we'll speak with him about this to take more caution where he puts his drink," said the waitress. "Have a good night everyone. Merry Christmas."

The quartet all headed out of the pub down the street.

* * *

"Which way did you see Vincent come from?" asked Sonata. Aria squinted to try and see where the young man had come from, but because it was dark outside, it was hard to see properly. The fact that it was starting to snow again didn't help much.

"Sometimes I wish Rudolph would come more than once..." muttered Aria to herself.

"But you said you didn't believe in Santa Claus," said Sonata.

"Uh, girls?" said Adagio, glancing over. "Where did Vincent go?" Aria and Sonata quickly glanced from side to side.

"Vincent!" called Aria. "Where are you?!"

"Isn't that him heading for our house?" said Sonata. There was Vincent, heading in completely the wrong direction, and drunkenly singing, occasionally messing up the lyrics and singing another song as a result.

" _Mister Blue Sky, please tell us why, you had to hide away for soooo looong... where did we go wrong?_ " he sang. " _Hey there Mister Blue, we're so pleased to be with you. Look around, see...alhouetto for a man... Everybody does the Fangdango... Thunderbolts and lightning, very, very frightening to you and me..._ "

"Er, Vincent, maybe you should get some rest at our place before we get you home tomorrow," said Aria as calmly as she could manage when she came up to him. _And mostly so you don't keep butchering some of the greatest songs of all time and causing a public disruption,_ she thought.

* * *

The three women quickly got Vincent inside their house. It was a fairly decent sized house. Their living room was just down the main hall, and the kitchen was further down. Adagio's bedroom was downstairs near the living room, while Aria's and Sonata's rooms were opposite each other upstairs.

"Alright," said Adagio. "I think we have spare blankets and a pillow to make a bed on the couch somewhere." She went to open the cupboard and looked around.

"Let's see, blankets... where are you..." Suddenly, the wind blew in from one of the windows and slammed the cupboard door.

"Hey!" cried Adagio. "I'm locked in!"

But Sonata had already rushed upstairs to bed and Aria was trying to make sure Vincent wasn't going to get into trouble.

"I've never seen anyone get this hammered by one beer," she said to herself. As she tucked Vincent in, Aria accidentally tripped over one of Sonata's cook books and fell onto the couch, kissing Vincent in the process. Aria pulled back, blushing in embarrassment. Vincent didn't say anything as he was out cold.

 _That... felt kind of good..._ Aria thought to herself in amazement. In all her years, she had never once kissed a boy - not because she wasn't interested in guys - but because she'd never found herself in a relationship with anyone. Now that she'd had a taste of the honey, she wanted the whole bottle.

"C'mere, big boy..." she purred, pulling Vincent in for another kiss.

* * *

Very early the next morning, all seemed quiet in the house as Sonata and Adagio slept heavily. Suddenly...

" _Ooooooooh, sweet mystery of life, at last I've found you...!_ "

The two sisters woke to the sound of Aria singing in soprano for some reason.

"Hey, what's going on out there?" Adagio demanded, banging on the cupboard door. "Someone open this blasted cupboard!"

Sonata couldn't understand why her half-sister was singing opera either.

"She'd better not be eating any of my special tacos," she fumed.

"Oh, forget about your tacos and get me outta here!" cried Adagio, banging on the door. Sonata was surprised; she had no idea that her older half-sister had been in the cupboard all night! Still, she opened the door, and Adagio finally emerged with her hair a right mess.

"So, you finally came out of the closest," joked Sonata.

"I came out years ago, Sonata," Adagio growled. "But that's not important. Where's Aria at?"

"I think her singing came from over there," said Sonata. The two of them strolled over to Aria.

"Sis, what is... _ARIA?!_ " Adagio jumped back in shock, and Sonata fainted from what she witnessed.

"Well... there's goes the last of my heterosexuality," grumbled Adagio.

Aria was stunned from what had happened, and got to her feet. "I... uh... well..."

"What have you done?!" snapped Adagio. "You knew he was drunk last night!"

"I..." Aria sighed, guilt coming in a tidal wave. "I kinda tripped over a book and kissed them and then... I got carried away."

"We have to get Vincent home," said Adagio, trying to calm down. "Goodness knows what his family and friends are going to think of this."

* * *

Meanwhile, Flash yawned as he woke up. For whatever reason, it felt very cold inside the house.

"Better go see how Vincent's doing," he said to himself. "I hope he didn't turn the heater off." He strolled over to his younger brother's room.

"Hey, Vin... Wha..." Much to Flash's surprise, there was snow all over Vincent's room.

"That's odd," he said. "Vincent would never leave his window open..." He then went to close it up and looked at the snow that had gotten in.

"There's so much snow..." he muttered. "It would take ages to clear this. Is he downstairs or something?"

But Flash would find that Vincent wasn't downstairs either.

"Vincent?" Flash cried, now starting to panic. "Little brother? Where are you?! Dad, Fictionary, wake up!"

"It's four in the morning..." Fictionary moaned. "Too early..."

"Vincent is gone!" Flash cried, rushing to his sister's room.

"He's what?!" Fictionary sprang out of bed and both of them rushed to their dad's room. "Dad, Vincent's missing!"

"What?!" Page Turner woke up. "Okay, let's not panic. I'll go around the neighborhood and see if he's nearby. You two call your friends and ask if they know where he could be."

"He could be anywhere by now," said Flash. "I just hope he hasn't gone too far..." Page Turner got his coat and quickly went outside, while Flash got his phone out.

" _Flash..._ " yawned Twilight as she picked up the phone on her end. " _It's a little early to be hanging out._ "

"It's not that, Twilight," said Flash. "It's Vincent; he's gone missing!"

" _He's missing?!_ " Twilight was wide awake now. " _Okay, I'll get my family on the lookout._ "

"Thank you, Twilight," sighed Flash. "I hope he's not caught a cold or something..."

Fictionary had her own phone out too.

" _Fictionary?_ " Scootaloo blinked her eyes open. " _We only saw each other yesterday. What's the rush?_ "

"Vincent's gone missing!" cried Fictionary. "He's not at home and he could be anywhere by now!"

" _Oh no!_ " gasped Scootaloo. " _I'll tell First Base and mom straight away. Families stick together._ "

"Thanks, Scoots," said Fictionary.

* * *

While Flash and Fictionary were calling up their friends, Page Turner was looking down the street.

"Vincent!" he called out. "Where are you, son?!"

Further up the street, the Dazzling half-sisters and Vincent had finally gone outside. The poor young adult was most confused at the circumstances that had gone on.

"How did I end up at your house?" asked Vincent. "How long was I there? Oh... dad, Flash and Fictionary will be so worried!"

"We'll find them," said Adagio. "Which way is your house?"

"It's at 66 Strawberry Avenue," said Vincent.

"Let's go then," said Sonata. "Ugh... I should have gotten a new map last night..."

"It's this way," said Vincent, walking down the correct street this time. Adagio, Aria and Sonata followed, the youngest had not said a word since they had gone outside.

"Vincent!" came a voice further up the street. "Is that you?"

"Dad!" cried Vincent, rushing over.

"Son," he said, hugging Vincent tightly. "Where have you been?"

"I..." Vincent sighed. "I left the house last night on my own accord."

"Why did you do that?!" Page was shocked. "Do you realize how worried your siblings and I were, young man?"

"I didn't want to cause a fuss," insisted Vincent. "I just wanted a bit of time to myself."

"Then why are you with these three women?" asked Page Turner, seeing the half-sisters nearby.

"I met Aria on the way to the pub and met Adagio and Sonata there," Vincent explained.

"You went to the pub?!" cried Page. "Please tell me you didn't get drunk underage."

"He ordered a ginger ale," explained Sonata, "but while we were busy talking, another customer put a beer down next Vincent's drink and... there was a mix-up."

Page Turner sighed. "You must keep a close eye on your drinks when you are out in public, and that costumer has to watch where he puts his drink!"

"Yes, dad..." said Vincent.

"Thank you for bringing Vincent back to me," said Page Turner to the women. "Have a good night. Or... is it a good day?"

"Doesn't matter," said Adagio. "We know what you mean." She started to lead Aria and Sonata back to their house.

Vincent looked down at his shoes, too embarrassed and ashamed to say anything. He knew that actions had consequences, but he didn't yet know how bad they were going to be...

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Vincent's pony self is indeed a pegasus and is afraid of heights. For the record, his parents Flame Barrier and Lullaby Strings are pegaus ponies, his stepfather Page Turner and half-sister Fictionary are unicorns, and stepmother Cindy is an earth pony. (Maybe one of her parents was a pegasus in order for Lofty to be as such.)**

 **Originally, it was Adagio who was intended to get pregnant by Vincent, but it was changed to Aria instead.**

 **Aria and Sonata's birth orders were switched around.**

 **So far, we don't know what the Dazzling's sisters parents would look like, though in the pony world, they were probably sirens.**

 **Aria singing after having some "fun" with Vincent is a reference to** ** _Young Frankenstein_** **.**


	61. DW5 - That's What It Takes

Here's chapter five, following the incident with Vincent and the Dazzlings from the last chapter.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 5 - That's What It Takes (Harrison, 1987)**

 **DECEMBER 26, 2015**

Twilight had drafted in not just her parents but Shining Armor into the search for Vincent as well. Cadance would have come, naturally, but someone had to look after Flurry Heart.

"Do you think Vincent had been kidnapped?" asked Shining Armor to his sister.

"Over the holidays?" asked Twilight. "I find that very unlikely."

"You'd be surprised, Twilight," said her mother. "There are shady people throughout the year."

"Actually, considering what we went through with certain people in the past," said Twilight, "that... doesn't sound too far fetched." Just then, Twilight's phone went off again.

"Hello?" she said, speaking into it.

" _Twilight, it's Flash,_ " her boyfriend said from the other end.

"Do you have any updates?" asked Twilight.

" _Yes,_ " said Flash. " _Dad found Vincent and he's home now._ "

"That quickly?" remarked Twilight.

" _Yeah, he didn't get too far from the house,_ " Flash told her. " _I asked Vincent where he'd been and why, but he didn't tell me._ "

"Maybe he was tired or just didn't want to talk about it," Twilight shrugged. "I mean, he hasn't seen Sunset in a week."

" _Yeah, that's true,_ " said Flash. " _I'll try and see what's going on with Vincent later in the day. I think you and your family need a sleep in._ "

"Thanks, Flash," said Twilight. "See you later. And glad Vincent's okay."

" _So am I, Twilight. Good night... er, good morning._ "

* * *

It wasn't just Twilight who was looking for Vincent. Flash and Fictionary had called up quite a few people, and were now calling the search party off. Some weren't too pleased as having been woken up so early only for the search party to end as soon as it had started, but they were at least glad that Vincent was safe.

"What do you think happened?" asked First Base to Scootaloo as they got back upstairs.

"I dunno," said Scootaloo. "Maybe Vincent wanted to look at the Christmas lights one more time before they started to get packed away?"

"I doubt it's that," said First Base. "Maybe it had to do with Sunset; if Silver Spoon had to go away somewhere else with her family for the holidays, I'd be pretty lonely too."

"I guess I would be lonely without Rumble too," admitted Scootaloo. "I'm glad we got to exchange gifts before our Christmas celebration."

"Same with Silver Spoon and I," said First Base. "Maybe we should talk it out with Vincent later in the day. Siblings to siblings."

"Good idea," agreed Scootaloo, yawning and heading into her room. "Let's just catch some Z's for now."

"Yeah," yawned First Base.

* * *

Later in the day, concerns started to rise about what could have been going on with Vincent's odd behavior. Vincent was meeting with his friends down at the Sweet Shoppe.

"We were worried sick when Flash called our house," said Orange Sherbet.

"You could have gotten frostbite if you were out there too long," added Song Cue.

"But I didn't," Vincent insisted. "I made sure to dress warmly and I managed to find indoor shelter."

"Where did you go?" asked Rarity.

"I went to the pub, and in case anyone asks, I didn't order anything with alcohol content," said Vincent. "I'm not gonna be 21 for another two years next month."

"That's a relief," said Fluttershy. "I'd hate to think what alcohol could do to someone who's underage."

"That's the thing," said Vincent. "I somehow tasted the wrong drink, and after that... I don't remember what happened."

There was almost a dead silence among the group.

"H-how did that happen?" gasped Math.

"Do you remember anything that happened after you became sober?" asked Twilight. "Maybe we can use that to help figure it out."

"Alright," said Vincent, trying to clear his thoughts. "Well, before that, I met up with someone called Aria and she introduced me to her half-sisters, Adagio and Sonata. We all sat down and we all ordered drinks. Then, another customer came, put his drink down and I drank it by mistake. After I became sober again, the first thing I remember was being at the sisters' house."

"Maybe they saw ya walkin' home but ya'll were just too drunk ta think straight so they allowed ya ta stay there fer the night," Applejack suggested.

"Maybe that was it," said Vincent. "All I had was just one sip, and everything after that was a complete blur."

"I'm just glad no one took advantage of you when you were drunk," said Rainbow Dash.

"Oh, don't even go there..." shuddered Comet.

"Does anyone have some good news to share?" asked Song Cue, thinking a change in topic was needed.

"I do," said Pinkie. "Pound Cake and Pumpkin Cake have made great friends with Beach Comb and Firestorm at school."

"How old are they now?" asked Vincent.

"Roughly four years old," said Pinkie. "I'm so proud of them for starting school!"

"Already?" asked Vincent. "It seemed like yesterday when they were just babies."

"They sure do grow up fast," said Song Cue. "I know Mystic is."

"She's gotta be close to a year old by now," said Applejack. "Or a bit older."

"Has she said her first word yet?" asked Twilight.

"Yes, she's started saying a few words actually," smiled Song Cue. "Her first word was 'blue', as in Blue the puppy from _Blue's Clues_."

"That's cute," said Vincent. "I didn't start speaking till I was... I think, three."

"Everyone develops at different rates," said Comet. "It's okay to have started later."

"That's so true," said Rarity. "I'm glad to hear Mystic is doing well."

"Guys," said Fluttershy suddenly, "when's Sunset coming back?"

"27th of December," said Vincent.

"That's tomorrow," smiled Rainbow Dash. "See, Vincent, we all said she'd be back soon."

"Yeah," sighed Vincent.

* * *

 **DECEMBER 27, 2015**

The next day came quicker than expected. Sunset and her family returned to Rainbow Falls.

"That was an amazing holiday!" said Solar. "I can't believe we went to the Bluebell Railway!"

"Yeah, seeing the real Stepney was really cool!" added Nyx. "Shame that he couldn't talk like the fictional version."

"Who knows what trains would do if they could actually speak?" asked Sunset.

"They could tell you all kinds of things," said Celestia. "Stepney would have seen a lot of changes over the years."

"He sounds and acts so young in the show and the books," said Sunset. "I'm surprised to find out that Stepney was older than the likes of Edward."

"I guess engines age differently to people," chuckled Luna as the family headed into their house.

"It's been a long flight, girls," said Sombra, "and it's quite late. Why don't we all hit the sack?"

"Yeah, I think we should," said Celestia.

"Good idea," yawned Sunset. "Let's get to our rooms, guys."

"Bet you can't wait for tomorrow," said Solar. "I think you'll rush out of the house first chance you get to speak to Vincent."

"Hey, I haven't seen him for well over a week," said Sunset. "Of course I wish to talk with him as soon as I can."

* * *

 **DECEMBER 28, 2015**

The next day, at the Sentry house, the doorbell rang.

"I got it," Page Turner said and opened up. "Well, welcome back to Rainbow Falls!"

"She's here?!" cried Vincent from the family room. Quickly, he got out of his seat and raced to the door.

"Vincent!" Sunset hugged her boyfriend tightly when he came to the door.

"I've missed you so much," said Vincent quietly. "How was your holiday?"

"It was amazing," Sunset smiled. "I'll show you some pictures I took on my phone."

"I'll bet you took lots," smiled Vincent. He and Sunset walked into the house and they sat down on the couch to look.

"Sunset, you're back," said Flash. "Have a good holiday?"

"Oh yeah," said Sunset. "Just about to show Vincent the pictures we took in England."

"Can we see too?" asked Fictionary. "We really missed you!"

"Of course," said Sunset, gesturing for them to come over to her. "I missed both of you as well." She got the album of photos out.

"This is us on Abbey Road," she smiled.

"I got a painting of the Beatles on Abbey Road for Christmas," said Vincent. "You want me to show you when we've gone through your album?"

"That would be great," said Sunset. "Just curious, what did you get for Christmas, Flash and Fictionary?"

"I got some _Warrior Cats_ books," said Fictionary. "I started reading _Into the Wild_ and already up to chapter three! Rusty has just been accepted into ThunderClan and renamed Firepaw!"

"There's a character that once had the name Rusty?" said Flash. "That is a coincidence! Why did he have his name changed to Firepaw?"

"Because the Clan Cats have a detailed naming system," Fictionary explained. "Song Cue and Heartsong told me about it. They can explain things better than I can though, so it's best to ask them."

"Well, anyway," said Vincent, "what other pictures have you taken, Sunset?"

"This is us on Penny Lane." Sunset showed them another photo.

"Man, you must have seen a lot of places the Beatles were," said Fictionary.

"I sure did," nodded Sunset. "Oh, and this is us on the Bluebell line."

"There's the real Stepney," said Flash. "It's so strange seeing him without a face."

"But if real engines did suddenly have faces, wouldn't they appear strange anyway?" Vincent responded.

"Okay, fair point, big brother," said Fictionary.

Yes, having Sunset back definitely put Vincent in a much better mood. But while the new year of 2016 started out to be mostly uneventful, that came to a head in early February of that year with the Dazzling half-sisters.

* * *

"Ugh..." groaned Aria. "I don't feel so good..."

"What's up, Aria?" asked Sonata.

"I think I ate something weird last night..." Aria moaned.

"I don't know," said Sonata. "Last night's dinner seemed just fine to me."

Adagio had been quiet through her younger sisters' banter. Her dinner had been fine as well, and if Aria did eat something weird last night, she would have most likely been sick last night, not the next day.

"Maybe you just need a tickle to cheer you up," Sonata giggled.

"No, Sonata, don't-" But Aria didn't get to finish her sentence, for Sonata had begun to tickle her on the belly.

"S-Sonata!" giggled Aria. "I-I didn't need to be tickled."

"Sisters..." Adagio just rolled her eyes.

"S-Sonata, please, just stop!" cried Aria through her laughs, which soon turned into coughing. "I think I'm gonna..." Sonata jumped back just in time for Aria to rush to the bathroom. There was mostly silence for a few moments before they heard the sound of Aria throwing up.

"Oh dear..." trailed Sonata. "Sorry sis..."

It felt like ages, but eventually, Aria came downstairs again, rubbing her stomach.

"That was really unpleasant," she groaned. "You don't want to know what was in there..."

"Maybe you should have a lie down," suggested Adagio.

"That sounds like a... good idea..." Aria slowly made her way up to bed. "What is wrong with me?"

"I dunno either," said Sonata. "Maybe I shouldn't have tickled Aria like that..."

"I think it was more than just that, Sonata," said Adagio.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean," said Adagio, "Aria can't have eaten anything dodgy last night. And I don't think there is a bug going around."

"So does that mean...?" Sonata began.

"Yes, it does."

"Then who could the father possibly be...?" But no sooner had the words escaped Sonata's mouth, she put her hand to it in shock. There was only one guy that Aria "did it" with...

* * *

At Canterlot University, Vincent, Sunset, Flash and Twilight were discussing their progress at their dorm, when the group heard a knock at the door.

"Okay, very funny, Minuette," Vincent chuckled as he went to get it. "What story do you have for us this time?"

But to his surprise, it wasn't Minuette at the door.

"Oh!" gasped Vincent. "Adagio, Aria, Sonata. This is a surprise. What brings you all the way to my university?"

"Uh, Vincent..." Aria began, twiddling her fingers. "We're not sure if you have been... aware of what happened..."

"What's going on?" asked Sunset, sounding suspicious. "You didn't do anything stupid while I was away, did you?"

"Erm," said Adagio, "long story short... Vincent mistook his drink for another costumer's and got drunk."

"You went to a pub?!" gasped Sunset, looking at her boyfriend with wide eyes. "W-why?"

"I just wanted some time to think," Vincent insisted. "I'm not stupid enough to buy alcoholic drinks under the age of 21."

"But you did manage to get drunk," said Sunset. "Wh-what happened? Did someone hurt you?!"

Aria then started to feel very shaky. Seeing Sunset's reaction to Vincent being at the pub could only mean one thing.

"You... you took advantage of my boyfriend while he was drunk!" snapped Sunset. "How dare you!"

"I trusted you!" cried Vincent in disgust. "You allowed me into your house just so you can take advantage of me?! You knew that beer I had was an accident. I don't want anything to do with you!"

These words were the straw that broke the camel's back for Aria, and she started to run off, too scared to say anything else.

"Vincent..." trailed Sonata. "It may have been Aria's fault, but you can't blame the baby that she's currently pregnant with."

Vincent drew in a shaky breath. A to-be father, to a woman twice his age, when he was already in a dedicated relationship? The reality of it all had hit him like a brick wall and the last thing he did before fainting was scream so loudly, he could be heard all across the campus.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Song Cue's concern about Vincent's health was a reference to** ** _The Emotions Corner_** **where her creator's EC counterpart is the unofficial medic for the group.**

 **Sometimes, people who have autism have skills developed a bit slower than others. Hence why Vincent had started talking later on in life than most people growing up.**

 **Although it's not mentioned anywhere, Minuette lives in a house with Twinkleshine, Moon Dancer and Jokesterrap while on campus (Lemon Hearts was supposed to be there instead of Jokesterrap initially, but... Bloody Sunday happened).**


	62. DW6 - Beware My Love

What a twist! Vincent has (unknowingly) gotten Aria Blaze pregnant, so how are the others gonna take this bombshell?

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 6 - Beware My Love (McCartney, 1976)**

 **AUGUST 10, 2038**

"Wait, you're not making any of this up, are you?" asked Dusk.

"Not one bit of it was exaggerated," said Vincent. "I can look back and laugh nowadays, but back then, it was probably the biggest shock of my life."

"No kidding," sighed Violet. "That would be scary to find out."

"I guess Aria was shocked too," said Twilight V.

"So what happened after that bombshell was dropped?" asked Dawn.

"Well... things were stressful to say the least," said Sunset to her daughter.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 6, 2016**

Flash and Twilight were about to get dinner started, but Vincent's scream made them concerned and rushed to the front door. They were just in time to see Vincent fall to the floor unconscious.

"Vincent!" cried Flash, trying to shake him awake. "Are you hurt?"

"Sunset, what happened?" asked Twilight.

"Well... we had some visitors here today," Sunset explained. "One of them even claimed that she was the mother to Vincent's baby."

"Wh-what?!" gasped Flash. "That must have happened when he was drunk! Who took advantage of my brother?!"

"It was the one with the purple hair in pigtails," said Sunset.

"She doesn't deserve to go unpunished!" growled Flash. "Which way did she go?"

"You wouldn't try to hurt a pregnant woman, would you?" scolded Twilight.

"If she didn't take advantage of Vincent, she'd never _be_ pregnant," Flash argued.

"You both have good points," said Comet, having come over with Fluttershy, Song Cue and Orange from next door.

"You heard the scream?" asked Sunset.

"Yeah," Song Cue nodded. "I just got a call from Rarity; she heard it from her house too."

"I understand you're angry, Flash," said Orange. "I'd be the same way if someone hurt Song Cue or Fluttershy like that. But the child has done nothing wrong, and it's up to her to abort the pregnancy or not."

"I guess you're right, Orange..." sighed Flash.

"We'll worry about the potential mother later," said Song Cue. "We have to get Vincent back to his senses."

"Does anyone have any ideas?" asked Fluttershy.

"Anyone have any smelling salts?" asked Flash.

"I think we have some in the house," said Twilight. She rushed back inside to get it and came back out.

"How exactly does this work?" asked Comet. Last time he had fainted, one of his siblings just dumped cold water on him.

"Well, it says here that a small amount of this stuff can wake up someone who had just fainted," said Twilight.

"That's not gonna kill him, is it?" asked Sunset.

"This sounds kinda risky," Song Cue frowned.

"What else are we supposed to do?" Twilight sighed.

"I suppose you have a point," said Fluttershy. Twilight carefully read the label on how to use smelling salts and used a little bit according to the instructions.

"Huh?" Vincent blinked his eyes and woke up.

"Vincent," asked Song Cue, "how are you feeling now?"

"A bit tired," Vincent admitted. "I just don't recall what had happened."

"You fainted," said Orange. "And... a lot of the students across campus heard you scream."

"I was that loud?" asked Vincent.

Fluttershy nodded. "Some of the other students started to go and see what the fuss was about, but we told them that we'd handle it."

"Oh... I apologize if I disturbed their day," Vincent sighed. "It was just... so much to take in at once."

"Do you remember what you heard before you fainted?" asked Flash.

"Something about one of the Dazzlings... being a mom to my baby..." Vincent stammered.

"I don't think that woman is to be trusted," said Song Cue with a snarl. "I'm not blaming the baby at all, but anyone who does something as awful as what she did should never be forgiven for their actions."

"I think she's right," Twilight agreed. "Aria may be pregnant, but that doesn't excuse her for what she did. It was a serious crime."

"I just hope that this news gets nipped in the bud before it becomes serious," said Vincent. "I mean, what if the story is twisted to make me look like the perpetrator and not the victim?"

"I'm sure we'll be able to set the record straight," said Flash to his little brother.

"Right, I'll get my dad and Shining Armor on the case." Twilight briskly went inside to find her phone.

"I'm sorry, Sunset," said Vincent sadly. "I feel like I betrayed you..."

Sunset just gave Vincent a big hug. "It's not your fault," she whispered. "All you did was find someone's drink by mistake. You didn't know it was a beer."

"I only wish... I could have been there..." Sunset felt a tear pricking her eye. "If I was there, I may have been able to protect you..."

* * *

Meanwhile, Twilight told her brother about what had happened over the phone.

"What?!" Shining Armor gasped.

" _I wish I was making this up,_ " sighed Twilight.

"Dad and I will get on the case right now," said Shining Armor. "Is Vincent injured in any way?"

" _No, he's fine,_ " said Twilight. " _Though he is a bit shaken up._ "

"You and your friends be there for support," Shining told his sister. "From what I can gather, Vincent is not to blame for this incident."

" _Thank you, Shining Armor._ " Twilight felt the slightest bit relieved. " _I'll see you later._ "

Just then, Flurry Heart started to toddle over to her dad with a toy bear in her hands. She made some noises indicating that she wanted him to play.

"Aww, I want to play too, Flurry," said her dad, "but daddy's got to stop some bad guys right now." Flurry cooed with disappointment and put her teddy down.

"Come over to mommy," called Cadance to her daughter. "I found this Wiggles song about a bear." Giggling, Flurry followed the direction of her mother's voice, dragging her teddy with her. By now, she had begun to walk. Shining Armor smiled as the Wiggles' song "Here Comes a Bear" came on.

"It's been around since the original group." He imagined Twilight dancing to that song when she was little.

Shining quickly checked his watch. "Shoot, better get going to my job." He gave his wife a kiss and allowed his daughter to hug his leg. "Bye, you two, have fun."

Shining Armor dashed off to work and met up with his dad.

* * *

"What brings you here, son?" asked Night Light. "It's your day off today."

"Twilight phoned me about something alarming." Shining explained what happened to Vincent.

" _Oy gevalt_!" exclaimed Night Light.

"I know," Shining sighed. "It is very concerning. I don't know what the situation with the baby is going to be about."

"We'll have to worry about the baby later," said Night Light. "Right now, we got to inform the rest of the staff about Miss Aria Blaze."

The word got to the police officers almost immediately and an investigation was launched.

"Where does she live?" asked one of the younger police officers.

"She's at 95 Strawberry Avenue," said Night Light. "Lives with two half-sisters, Adagio Dazzle and Sonata Dusk."

"Sounds simple enough to find," said Shining Armor.

"Let's go," said Night Light. "We can't waste anymore time."

* * *

Back at the Dazzlings' house, the girls were feeling very uncomfortable.

"I knew he wasn't going to take this well..." sighed Adagio.

"How were we supposed to know Vincent had a girlfriend?" asked Sonata. "He never said anything!"

"Well, yes, but he also wasn't happy with being taken advantage of while drunk!" retorted Adagio. "He wouldn't have been happy if he had a girlfriend before this or not!"

"I don't blame him for staying away," sighed Aria. "Not only was he upset, so was his girlfriend and I wouldn't be surprised if his friends went into protective sister-slash-brother figure mode."

Just then, the trio heard some police sirens outside.

"Oh no," groaned Aria. "They're coming for me..."

"Open up!" called Night Light. "R.F.P.D!" Adagio was about to get the door, when Aria stopped her.

"It's easier if _I_ go," Aria told her. "But... Sonata and Adagio, promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

"When the baby is born, please take care of your niece or nephew," Aria told them. "He or she didn't do anything wrong." Aria went right to the door.

"It's okay," she said. "I'll go with you." Night Light and Shining Armor were both taken aback.

"That was quick," remarked Shining Armor. "Usually they resist arrest."

"All I want is for the baby to be sent back to his or her aunts when it's born," Aria told them. "He or she shouldn't suffer from the consequences of my actions."

"I... guess we could arrange for it," said Night Light.

"Let's get back to the police station," said Shining Armor. "Boy, won't the rest of the staff be surprised by this."

* * *

Back at the campus, Sunset was going into a local cafe to clear her head.

"I wish I could have come back in time..." she sighed. "I can't believe Vincent was hurt this way..." She started to cry. "How could I have prevented this...?"

"Something happen?" asked a voice.

Sunset looked over to see a girl about a year older than her with a mix of purple and pink in her hair, and bright blue eyes. She looked to have graduated from high school the same year as Flash did.

"Just... going through a rough time," Sunset sighed. "I don't think I've seen you around here before. I'm Sunset Shimmer, by the way."

"My name is Sweetie Drops," said the other girl, "but most people call me Bon Bon."

"I see," Sunset nodded. "What brings you here?"

"Well, after graduating school, I moved down here to find a good university to go to," Bon Bon told her. "I'm from the city. I used to live here with my parents and my little sister, but dad got a job offer in the city."

"Would your younger sister be named... Twist, by chance?" asked Sunset.

"Yes," said Bon Bon. "Do you know her?"

"Not directly, but some of my friends' younger siblings did," said Sunset.

"They are still living here with their families?" gasped Bon Bon. "That's awesome."

"Yeah, nearly all of my friends have graduated by now," Sunset smiled. "Well... Pinkie Pie, Saffron Masala and a few others are still in their final year."

"Twist is thinking about moving back here when she graduates too," Bon Bon told Sunset. "She misses her friends that she made in the first couple of years at school."

"Well, I'm sure they will be happy to see her." said Sunset. "Did you make any friends while at this university?"

"Well... no," Bon Bon admitted. "Lyra wouldn't let me get close to anyone else."

"Lyra... as in, Lyra Heartstrings?" gasped Sunset.

"Well, yes," said Bon Bon. "You knew her?"

Sunset nodded. "She was my friend Comet Tail's abusive sister."

Bon Bon was in deep shock. "You're kidding. She abused her own brother?!"

Sunset nodded again. "Now she's gone, the rest of his siblings have started to make amends with Comet Tail, and he's also found his real dad and another sister; Saffron Masala."

"Whoa..." Bon Bon said. "That's quite a lot to take in at once..."

"You're telling me," said Sunset. "Forgive me for asking, but how did you know Lyra?"

Bon Bon looked awkwardly away. After a moment or two, she finally decided to answer.

"...she was my girlfriend," she said at last.

"No!" exclaimed Sunset in shock.

"I know," sighed Bon Bon. "I thought that she was nice and friendly, but... she was clingy! And, I also found out she was seeing a guy named Noteworthy."

"That Lyra wasn't all that faithful, was she?" asked Sunset. "If you ask me, she was nothing but a complete slut!"

"Yeah, that's so true," agreed Bon Bon. "In an odd way... I actually kinda feel relieved she's no longer around."

"I do too," said Sunset. "And so do all my friends. When did you meet Lyra?"

"When I first came to university..." Bon Bon then proceeded with her story.

* * *

 **2013**

Bon Bon knew that one day, she would be in university, and was looking through her options on where to go.

"Let's see... what would be a good place to go?"

"You okay, thith?" came a younger voice.

"Oh, hey Twist," said Bon Bon. "I'm a bit stuck on where to go when I finally finish school."

"You thinking of going to college?" asked Twist.

"Yeah," nodded Bon Bon. "I would like to get into maybe candy making business."

"Tho do I, Bon Bon," Twist lisped.

"You two are doing so well," said their dad, Chocolate Truffles, coming in. "I can't believe you're almost a graduate, Bon Bon."

"I can't believe it either," said Bon Bon. "Do you have any good university recommendations, dad?"

"You mean you haven't decided where you want to be enrolled in after high school?" asked Chocolate Truffles in surprise.

"It's so hard," Bon Bon admitted, looking through the options she had on her laptop. "So many places to choose from."

"Hmm... well, I remember getting a good degree at the university I went to when I left high school," said Chocolate Truffles.

"Canterlot University?" asked Bon Bon. "Hmm... maybe I'll try and go there."

"That'th a while away, thith," said Twist. "If you go there, I'll mithh you."

"I'll send you guys lots of letters and postcards," said Bon Bon, giving her sister a hug. "I'll miss you guys too."

"We'll help you get ready to go to Canterlot," said Chocolate Truffles. "You have a bit of packing to do if you're serious about going."

"I'll probably have to pack the essentials," said Bon Bon.

Bon Bon went to look through her clothing to pick out her favorite outfits, and went to find her hairbrush, toothbrush and other things from the bathroom.

* * *

The day came sooner than any of the family had expected.

"Thee you, Bon Bon." Twist hugged her sister tightly. "Good luck!"

"Thanks, Twist," smiled Bon Bon, hugging her back.

"We love you, Bon Bon." Chocolate Truffles hugged his daughter too. "Hope to see you soon."

"Love you too, dad."

* * *

Bon Bon began to head off on her own toward a new life in Canterlot.

"I can't wait to see who I'll meet there," she smiled to herself.

Eventually, Bon Bon got to her university and looked around.

"What a lovely location," she smiled. There were a lot of students roaming around, and Bon Bon was eager to meet with some of them.

"Goodness, where do I even begin?" she wondered, walking over to a small group. The group consisted of a twenty-three year old man, a twenty-one year old woman, a twenty year old man and two eighteen year old girls. One of the eighteen year old twins had pale, light grayish cyan hair with white highlights and brilliant gamboge eyes, and she seemed to catch Bon Bon's eye.

"Good day, everyone," said Bon Bon with a cheery smile.

"Hey there," said the other eighteen year old. "You new round here? I don't think we saw you at high school."

"Yeah, I'm new," said Bon Bon. "I attended Crystal Prep High School."

"Crystal Prep?" asked the older woman. "Ooh, that's a fancy place to go."

"We were supposed to go there," said the oldest man, "but our mother insisted that we all go to Canterlot High, which is where our older brother went."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said Bon Bon.

"It's not your fault," said the younger man. "Oh, where are our manners? I'm Neon Lights. This is my older brother Rare Find, my older sister Cayenne, and my younger twin sisters Electric Sky and Lyra Heartstrings."

"And your older brother makes six!" gasped Bon Bon. "That's a massive family!"

"Yeah, it sure is," said Lyra.

"I only have one little sister myself," said Bon Bon. "Her name is Twist."

"Is your family into candy making?" asked Cayenne with curiosity.

"How'd you figure that out?" asked Bon Bon.

"Well, your names kinda gave a hint," Cayenne smiled.

"Oh, I see," said Bon Bon. "That's fair enough." She then paused for a moment. "Are you into cooking, Cayenne?"

"A little." Cayenne was surprised. "My name's not related to food."

"Actually, it is," Bon Bon told her. "I looked it up on the internet. Cayenne is a type of pepper that can be ground into pepper that people use in Asian recipes."

"That's rather interesting," said Cayenne. "Our mother knew a bit about Asian recipes, but dad wasn't interested at all."

"Sorry to hear that," Bon Bon sympathized. "You also mentioned your mother in past tense. Did something happen?"

"She died in a fire a few years ago," explained Rare Find.

"That's awful..." sighed Bon Bon. "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, Bon Bon," said Electric Sky. "Say, we're about to eat lunch. Wanna join us?"

"Sure," said Bon Bon. The six of them started to make their way to a local cafe.

"What was Crystal Prep like?" asked Lyra.

"It was very expensive," said Bon Bon. "I had to wear a uniform there, and some of the students were very competitive."

"How competitive?" asked Lyra.

"It varied from student to student," Bon Bon explained. "Indigo Zap was probably the worst of the bunch."

"What do you mean?" asked Lyra. "If students are competing to be the best at what they do, isn't that a good thing?"

"There is friendly competition, yes," said Bon Bon, "but if taken too far, it can be a problem. Some of the students have begun to one-up each other in the likes of soccer, tennis and golf and friendships have turned bitter."

"That's harsh," said Lyra.

"I wish Crystal Prep could have gotten more friendly faces," sighed Bon Bon. "That's part of the reason why I came here. I heard a fair amount of people from Canterlot High would be here."

"Well, stick with us, Bon Bon," said Lyra. "We're going to have a lot of fun."

* * *

The six of them eventually reached the cafe.

"Table for six, please," said Rare Find to the waitress.

"Of course," she nodded, and led them to a table. "New member of your group?"

"Yep," Bon Bon smiled. "I'm from the city."

"It's a pleasure to have you here," said the waitress. "What can I get you lot today?"

"Well, I think we'll order our drinks to start with," said Rare Find. "I'll get a lemonade."

"I'll get a Fanta," said Electric Sky.

"Mine will be a Pepsi," said Neon Lights.

"I'll order a cream soda," said Cayenne.

"I think I'll get a cream soda too," said Bon Bon.

"And I'll get a Coke," Lyra finished.

"Okay then," said the waitress. "I'll be back with the drinks and you guys can choose your lunches."

"What's your dad like?" asked Bon Bon.

"Oh, he works very hard to bring in a good income," said Neon Lights.

"He really had to up his schedule since mother died," added Electric Sky, "but he always makes time for his kids."

"That sounds like tough times," sighed Bon Bon. "My mom died shortly after getting cancer."

"When was that?" asked Lyra.

"Not long before Twist started school," Bon Bon told them.

"It's awful to lose a family member," said Cayenne.

"Here are all your drinks, everyone," said the waitress, putting them down.

"Thanks," said Neon Lights.

"Not a problem," said the waitress. "Now, what food can I get for you for lunch?"

"I think I'll get the toasted ham, cheese and tomato," said Electric Sky.

"I'll get a bacon and egg toasted sandwich," said Rare Find.

"I'll get the bacon, lettuce and tomato," Cayenne said next.

"I'll get the chicken, avocado and tomato," said Neon Lights.

"I think I'll get the chicken, cheese and tomato," said Bon Bon.

"Ooh, I'll get that too," said Lyra. Bon Bon looked at her with surprise; did Lyra have the same sandwich preference as she? She stared at Lyra with bright eyes, seemingly forgetting the rest of her siblings and where they were for a moment.

 _Could I be falling in love?_ Bon Bon wondered.

* * *

After everyone had their meals, they went up to pay at the desk. But Lyra looked worried when she fiddled around in her bag.

"Oh, fiddle," she sighed. "I don't have my wallet with me. I must've left it at home."

"Oh dear," said Bon Bon, putting her hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I have extra money. I'll pay for you."

Lyra smiled warmly at Bon Bon and hugged her. "Thank you. That's so kind of you."

"You're welcome," replied Bon Bon. Little did Bon Bon realize, was that Lyra was taking this idea to heart.

"Hmm... she could be useful to have around," Lyra said to herself.

* * *

Soon, it was the weekend. Cayenne, Electric Sky, Lyra and Bon Bon were all on a shopping spree together.

"It's nice to get some girl time together," said Electric Sky. "Rare Find and Neon Lights said they were on dates with their girlfriends."

"Who are they again?" asked Bon Bon.

"Rare Find is with Juniper Montage, and Neon Lights is with Vinyl Scratch," said Cayenne.

"Makes sense to me," said Bon Bon. "Is your eldest brother with anyone?"

"He's dating this girl named Emily Tempest," said Cayenne.

"But we don't see her around very much," added Lyra quickly.

"Why not?" asked Bon Bon, surprised by Lyra's sudden reply.

"She... often works," Lyra replied. "Very dedicated to her job."

"Oh, I see," said Bon Bon, deciding not to push the subject any further. "Do any of you three have partners?"

"Well, I am seeing Blueblood right now," said Cayenne. "He's Emily Tempest's brother."

"And I'm seeing a guy named Ponet," added Electric Sky.

"Ponet?" asked Bon Bon.

"Yeah," Electric Sky nodded. "Do you know him?"

"Well, I do know he often paints some pictures in his spare time," said Bon Bon. "But we've only met once or twice."

"Oh," said Electric Sky.

"I'm not seeing anyone at the moment," Lyra said. Cayenne and Electric Sky raised eyebrows, but Bon Bon didn't notice.

"You're not?" Bon Bon said in excitement, but cleared her throat. "Well, I'm sure someone will like you."

"Hopefully," said Lyra. "Though most of the people I meet make fun of the way I think. Apparently, they think I'm just a stupid airhead."

"I don't think you are," said Bon Bon. "You're a lot of fun to be around."

"You really mean it?" asked Lyra happily.

"I sure do," said Bon Bon, giving her a hug. Lyra couldn't help by squee as she embraced her new friend. Cayenne and Electric Sky then looked worried at each other.

"Lyra's still seeing Noteworthy," whispered Cayenne.

"So why is she pretending she isn't?" asked Electric Sky.

"I dunno," Cayenne shrugged, "Maybe... she's trying to see how many lovers she can have at once."

"How do you think Bon Bon will react if she finds out about Noteworthy?" Electric Sky asked.

"Probably about as well as that express engine - Gerald or whatever his name is - from that talking train show being forced to take a goods train," Cayenne replied. The two sisters hoped they could talk some sense into Lyra before it was too late. They decided to wait until later to talk.

* * *

Soon, the girls went to go and pay for the things that they wanted from the shop.

"Ah, geez," sighed Lyra, feeling around in her purse. "I left my wallet at home by mistake."

"Oh my," said Bon Bon. "It's okay, I'll cover for you." Lyra smiled as Bon Bon covered her purchase.

 _Perfect,_ Lyra thought. _Now I can use my money for something even better._

* * *

Soon, it was time to go home.

"See you, Bon Bon," said Lyra, hugging her. "Please come again on our next trip."

"I will Lyra," said Bon Bon. "Pleasant dreams."

The three sisters started to head back to their houses they were staying in for their time at university. Cayenne and Electric Sky were currently staying at a house with their boyfriends, while Lyra was in a house with Rare Find, Juniper and Vignette.

* * *

Now that the three were alone, Cayenne and Electric Sky saw their chance for a chat.

"Lyra?" Electric Sky spoke up. "We want a word with you."

"Sure," said Lyra. "What's up?"

"It's about your new friend Bon Bon," said Cayenne. "You've been lying to her."

"First you told her you were still single," said Electric Sky. "But you're not. You've been with Noteworthy for years. Next, you made Bon Bon pay for your stuff."

"I told you," Lyra insisted, "I forgot my wallet." But just as the girls were heading to their car, something fell out of Lyra's bag.

"O-oh, look," Lyra giggled sheepishly. "I had it there all along."

But her sisters weren't buying it.

"You lied to Bon Bon," insisted Electric Sky. "You only pretended to lose your wallet just so you could get her to pay for your stuff."

"Hey, we all lie to Comet Tail all the time," said Lyra. "Who's to say we can't do it to other people too?"

"Mother would be rolling in her grave right about now!" argued Cayenne. "She told us for years that lying was wrong."

"If you know using Bon Bon like this is wrong," Electric Sky added, "then why are you doing this?"

"I _have_ to!" snapped Lyra. "As dad always says, success isn't free. You have to do whatever it takes to make your way to the top, even if it means betraying those around you to get there. And father knows best!"

The girls all drove off. Cayenne and Electric Sky had started questioning their father's logic ever since the spat argument that the latter and Lyra had with Twilight and her friends from Canterlot Elementary back in 2011.

"Dad's logic has messed her up more than any of us realized," said Electric Sky.

"I know," said Cayenne. "She always was a daddy's girl. I guess Comet and Shooting Star didn't fall for father's traps because Comet never got to interact with him and Shooting Star always chose to hang around our mother."

"Maybe we'd have been better if we'd hung around mom instead," Electric Sky suggested. "Think maybe we'd have avoided being so mean?"

"The world may never know," sighed Cayenne. "I just hope Lyra sees sense and stops acting like father before it gets her in serious trouble."

* * *

 **2015**

But as the months wore on, Lyra's behavior just got worse and worse. It all culminated on one spring afternoon, weeks before the arrest of Top Marks. Bon Bon was just out getting some groceries with her housemates while she was in college; Autumn Blaze, a very talented singer and Ringo, who was Flash Sentry's bass player.

"Got any plans tonight, Bons?" Autumn Blaze asked.

"Oh, I may see Lyra again this week," said Bon Bon. "She's been busy with her college stuff."

Ringo was quiet for a moment, remembering back to his talks with Flash over what Lyra was like.

"Well, I hope you two have some fun," said Autumn. Ringo was just picking up a packet of biscuits to add to the trolley, when something caught his eye.

"Something up, Ringo?" asked Autumn Blaze.

"Well, yeah." He gestured to a nearby window showing a cafe. Just at the table outside, he spotted Lyra with a blue haired boy just her age.

"Isn't that Lyra Heartstrings and her boyfriend Noteworthy?"

Bon Bon was shocked. "What?! She told me she wasn't seeing anyone."

"Guess she was lying through her teeth," sighed Autumn Blaze. Bon Bon's face turned red as Knuckles the Echidna.

" _She lied to me!_ " she roared furiously. " _I'll kill her!_ "

Before Ringo or Autumn could do anything to stop her, Bon Bon had raced out of the grocery store, leaving what she was about to purchase behind.

"Uh oh..." Ringo sighed. "This can't end well."

* * *

At the cafe, Lyra and Noteworthy were having a chat when...

" ** _LYRA HEARTSTRIIIIINGS!_** "

Lyra nearly spilled her drink on herself as she jumped up.

"Bon Bon?" she asked, looking at her with a fake puzzled expression. "Wh-what are you doing here?"

Bon Bon's face was red with fury, and some onlookers were envisioning steam coming out of her ears.

"You told me you were single," Bon Bon gritted through her teeth before looking towards Noteworthy. "But then I get word from one of my roommates that this pathetic waste is actually your boyfriend!"

"Uh..." Lyra was very shaken.

"You were cheating on me?!" snapped Noteworthy. He cared less about the fact that Bon Bon had called him a pathetic waste and that he too had lied to Coco Pommel a few years back about going to the Fall Formal with her.

But regardless of the situation, Lyra gulped. She was in big trouble now.

"N-now, now," she insisted. "I-I can explain..."

"Explain this!" cried Noteworthy, splashing his drink on Lyra in disgust. "I'm going home!"

With that, he stormed off, leaving Lyra to deal with the angry Bon Bon on her own.

"For the time we've known each other," Bon Bon began, "I thought you were my friend. I trusted you. Yet I find out all this time what you're really like; not only using me to get to better places, but I find out you have a boyfriend when you tell me your single! The rest of your family may tolerate your obnoxious behavior, but I'm not afraid to say what should be said!" She got right up in her face in anger. " _Lyra Heartstrings, you are a selfish, inconsiderate,_ _ **spoiled rotten BRAT!**_ "

Bon Bon was so angry that she punched Lyra across the way and she hit one of the walls of the cafe.

"And I never want to see you again!"

With that, she stormed off in pure fury.

When Lyra got back up, she felt her face for any serious damages. Not only had she gotten a black eye, but her nose was even bleeding.

"I'm gonna tell my father on you!" she shouted to Bon Bon in a rather bratty way. "He'll take you to court, and then you'll be sorry!"

* * *

"I bet her father is as bad as her," Bon Bon muttered as she went back to her roommates.

"Whoa..." Autumn Blaze gasped. "You actually clocked her one."

"That's one way of putting it," said Bon Bon. "She's as bad as that one sim from _Pleasantview_ , Don Lothario."

"That's not even the worst thing she did," added Ringo. And he told Bon Bon all about the Comet Tail situation.

"Oh, that's just cruel!" snapped Bon Bon. "Everyone should love their siblings. I love my little sister Twist."

"Top Marks convinced her that since Comet Tail wasn't of his blood," added Autumn, "he wasn't important to them."

"That's one thing I hate about the upper class," said Ringo. "They're rude to those who are different just so they can feel superior about themselves. Even to those like myself."

"Fair play, Ringo," said Autumn. "Didn't you mention that Principal McCracken and Vice Principal Faust are key examples of people who are rich but very kind and loving?"

"True."

"Is there anyone who makes him feel like family?" asked Bon Bon.

"Apart from his brother Shooting Star," said Ringo, "there's this sweet girl named Song Cue who's in love with him."

"Aww, that's sweet," said Bon Bon, before sighing. "I thought I was in love with Lyra, but I was so... blind..."

"Love can sometimes be a fickle thing," sighed Autumn Blaze. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find the right one someday."

Bon Bon felt a happy tear prick her eye as she hugged her friend. "Thank you, Autumn."

"You're welcome," Autumn Blaze smiled, returning the hug.

* * *

 **FEBRUARY 6, 2016**

"Man, that Lyra is more of a creep than I thought," said Sunset.

"I still can't believe I had let her trick me that way," said Bon Bon.

"Top Marks didn't sue you for hurting her, did he?" Sunset asked.

"Actually, my dad came down from the city and he lectured Lyra and Top Marks on being spoiled," said Bon Bon.

"But sadly, they haven't changed their ways," said Sunset. "Not with Top Marks in prison and Lyra dying unloved."

"Her dad is in prison?" gasped Bon Bon. "Really? I didn't know that!"

"One of my friends' dad is a cop, and so is her brother," explained Sunset. "They wouldn't give up on Top Marks' child neglect case and finally got him arrested."

"That's wonderful," smiled Bon Bon. "Bless them." She then sighed, "I know there is a woman somewhere worth my love. But I haven't found the right one yet."

"I'm sure you will find somebody," said Sunset, giving her a comforting hug.

"Thank you," said Bon Bon. "I'm glad you're accepting of me being a lesbian. Not everyone is."

"I'm friends with some gay and lesbian people myself," said Sunset. "My boyfriend has lesbian aunts."

"That's really cool," said Bon Bon. "You also mentioned you had a boyfriend. I guess that means you're straight?"

"Not exactly," Sunset admitted.

Bon Bon gave her an understanding and calm gaze. "You're... bisexual?"

"I was never open about it," admitted Sunset. "I always worried what would happen if Vincent were to find out."

"Sunset," said Bon Bon, "if someone truly loves you, they wouldn't mind if you're straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or anything like that."

"I guess you're right," said Sunset. "I should be honest with him, and be honest with myself."

"Well, I'm sure we'll both figure things out for ourselves," said Bon Bon. "Thank you for spending time with me."

"Not a problem, Bon Bon," smiled Sunset.

Both women left the cafe feeling refreshed. If Bon Bon could be open about how she felt about women and try to find someone to be in a relationship with, Sunset felt she could be open about her true feelings of her own sexuality.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **Cayenne's interest in cooking and Asian food foreshadows Comet's real dad. The relationship between Coriander and Cayenne improved after Lyra was killed.**

 **Spoiler alert for a later chapter; Bon Bon is going to be paired with Blossomforth. Sandbar/Blossomforth seemed too last minute back in** ** _Silly Love Songs_** **and we also believed that Sandbar and Yona would be much better for each other.**

 **Don Lothario is a character from the computer game** ** _The Sims 2_** **from the neighborhood Pleasantview. He has four lovers at once and even engaged to one of them at the beginning of the game.**

 **Bon Bon and Twist are sisters due to the fact that they both have candy related cutie marks and (as ponies) they have similar colored coats and mane and tails.**

 **Comet's siblings are aware that he's interested in Thomas the Tank Engine, but they only hear bits and pieces of it. They don't get into the know about it until after Lyra was killed.**


	63. DW7 - I'll Still Love You

Finally! I'm all caught up once again with _Demons Within_! Of course, the story is far from finished; there's only seven more chapters before volume two is over, which I hope to finish by spring. Before I get to volume three, I'm thinking of doing a series of short stories called _Untold Tales from Rainbow Falls_ as well as a Christmas special. It's essentially the series' equivalent to _Past Masters_.

* * *

 **Sub-Volume 5 -** ** _Demons Within_**

 **Chapter 7 - I'll Still Love You (Starr, 1976)**

 **FEBRUARY 7, 2016**

Vincent was sitting on a bench at the park. It had barely been a day since the bombshell dropped about him being the father to Aria Blaze's unborn child, so he figured that maybe a few hours at the park would help to clear his mind. It wasn't snowing, but it was still quite cold outside.

"That's winter for you," he sighed as he strolled along. "Still, it's peaceful."

Just then, he came across Sandbar and his friends in a snowball fight. Along with them were Silverstream's younger brother Terramar and Gallus' younger sister Gabby.

"Sandbar not catch Yona!" Yona giggled as she tried to hide behind a tree.

"Oh, yes I will!" He tossed the snowball, but it hit Silverstream by mistake.

"That's funny," said Vincent, observing the scene. "Yona and Sandbar, together? But what happened between him and Blossomforth?" He was about to find out, as within a minute, he came across Blossomforth taking a quiet stroll through the park herself.

"Hey, Vincent," greeted Blossomforth. "How are you doing?"

"Not great," Vincent admitted. "Have you heard about what happened?"

"Uh, no," said Blossomforth. "What's going on?" Vincent explained to her about how he'd been unknowingly raped by Aria Blaze whilst he had been drunk and had gotten her pregnant, as well as what led to the incident.

Blossomforth's breath caught in her throat. "No..."

"I wish I was making this up," sighed Vincent.

"Not even _I_ was that desperate," said Blossomforth.

"I know," sighed Vincent.

"She needs to be locked up for life!" Blossomforth growled.

"I'm just worried that the baby may have to spend it's childhood in prison," sighed Vincent. "It's not their fault their mother took advantage of me."

"That's true," said Blossomforth. "Maybe when the baby is born, he or she could be sent back to relatives of the mother."

"Well, Aria does have two half-sisters," said Vincent.

"The baby should be fine then," said Blossomforth. "I just hope Aria can be brought to justice."

"Likewise," said Vincent. "How have you been going by the way?"

"Well, not sure if you know, but... Sandbar and I are no longer a thing," Blossomforth sighed. "I could just see he had a much more lasting relationship with Yona. They've known each other, plus Silverstream, Gallus, Ocellus and Smolder, since elementary school."

"I kinda guessed that was the case," said Vincent, looking back over at Sandbar and Yona. Although they were quite far away by this point, Vincent could see that the pair were now cuddling on a nearby bench. "You think you'll be alright, Blossomforth?"

"I will be," said Blossomforth. "In the end, Sandbar was just a fling, and I know he and Yona will have a bright future together."

"I know someone will come along in your life," said Vincent. "Don't give up."

"Thanks, Vincent," said Blossomforth. "You're a good friend. Is there anything I can do to calm you down after all this?"

"Well... do you think I could play with your belly?" Vincent asked. Blossomforth blushed and giggled. This was probably the first time Vincent had ever asked permission to play with her belly. She looked around to make sure nobody was looking.

"Here you go," she said, lifting up her shirt and coat, exposing her big belly. Vincent got down on one knee and then hugged Blossomforth's belly. Then he began to tickle her belly and poke a finger inside her navel.

"V-Vinny!" Blossomforth giggled. "That tickles!"

"You know something, Blossomforth?" Vincent commented. "Your belly is like a therapeutic pillow."

"Oh? How so?"

"Well, by feeling how soft and cuddly it is," Vincent explained, "my stresses and worries seem to be going away a tad. I almost want to ask Sunset if you'd like to be part of a harem with us."

"A harem?" Blossomforth giggled. "That would be rather fun. Though at the moment, I'm trying out something different."

"Like what?" asked Vincent.

"Like... dating girls."

Vincent was rather surprised. "I thought you liked guys," he said.

"Oh, I do," Blossomforth insisted. "But I guess I like dating girls too."

"So... you're bi then?" asked Vincent.

"No I'm not. I'm Blossomforth."

"I know that," chuckled Vincent, "but what I meant was that you're attracted to both sexes."

"Ooooooh," said Blossomforth, understanding what Vincent was talking about.

"Well, I'd better get going," said Vincent. "Take care."

"You too, Vincent," said Blossomforth.

Vincent started to head off, feeling much better about talking to a friend. He hadn't got far in setting off again when Sandbar, Yona and the rest of the group noticed him.

"Hey, Vincent!" greeted Ocellus. "Lovely day for a winter stroll."

"I suppose it is, Ocellus," said Vincent.

"What have you been up to?" asked Smolder.

"Well, I just saw Blossomforth," said Vincent.

"She's not upset about us separating, is she?" asked Sandbar.

"No, it didn't seem like it to me," said Vincent. "Sandbar, is there a bit more as to why things didn't work between you two?"

"Well, the flame was there," said Sandbar, "but it slowly started to fizzle out, and then when was hanging out with Yona during that time, I realized that I felt more... at home with her."

"That makes sense," said Vincent.

"Did Blossomforth have luck finding partner?" asked Yona.

"No, not yet," said Vincent. "I'm not sure who she's got her sights on though."

"I'm sure she will find someone out there," said Silverstream. "We'll keep our eyes open to see if she does."

"Thanks, everyone," said Vincent. He continued his walk around the park, but his thoughts changed to those of Sunset. She said she had gone to the local cafe to clear her head yesterday, and had gone back to her place without talking to him.

"Maybe I should check on Sunset and see if she's okay," said Vincent. He got his phone out and rang Sunset's house.

" _Hello?_ " came Celestia's voice on the phone.

"Hi, is Sunset there?" asked Vincent.

" _Yes, she's at home, Vincent,_ " replied Celestia. There was a brief silence on the phone as Sunset picked it up.

" _You wanted to speak with me?_ " asked Sunset.

"Yeah," said Vincent. "Did you get some clear thoughts at the cafe?"

" _I did,_ " said Sunset. " _I met this girl named Bon Bon. She... used to be Lyra's girlfriend._ "

"She did?" asked Vincent, surprised at what he'd heard.

" _Yeah,_ " Sunset replied. " _I didn't expect Lyra to be bisexual, considering she kept on trying to ask random male students to the Fall Formal at school._ "

"Did she ask any other girls besides Bon Bon?" asked Vincent.

" _Not that I recall,_ " said Sunset. " _Not that I cared about Lyra anyway._ "

"Or anyone for that matter," Vincent chuckled.

" _Indeed. Comet's family relationships have improved a lot since Lyra died,_ " said Sunset.

"That's true," said Vincent. "Maybe we should get to know Comet's siblings better and invite Bon Bon on a group outing someday."

" _Those are great ideas,_ " said Sunset. " _And... being around Bon Bon helped me to realize something else._ "

"What was it?" asked Vincent. Sunset paused for a moment, remembering what Bon Bon said before they left the cafe.

" _If someone truly loves you, they wouldn't mind if you're straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans or anything like that._ "

" _Vincent..._ " she announced, " _I'm... bisexual._ "

At first, Vincent didn't say anything. He'd known Sunset his entire life, but this was news to him. He imagined Sunset sleeping in bed with another girl and surprisingly, the thought didn't bother him at all. If anything, it kind of excited him.

" _Vincent?_ " Sunset asked when she didn't hear a reply. " _You don't... hate me for that, right?_ "

"What?" cried Vincent, regaining his senses. "Hate you? Never!"

" _Oh, good,_ " said Sunset. " _I didn't admit I was bi because I was worried how you would have reacted._ "

"Never be afraid to admit something like that, Sunset," said Vincent. "Rarity also said she was bisexual, Trixie and Cherry Crash are dating, my aunts Holiday and Lofty are married, it's totally okay."

" _You're right,_ " Sunset agreed. " _I guess I was being a bit silly. Bon Bon is also a lesbian, but hasn't found a new partner yet._ "

"Nor has Blossomforth," said Vincent. "In fact, I was speaking with her earlier."

" _I figured Sandbar and Blossomforth wouldn't work out in the end,_ " said Sunset. " _He and Yona seemed to share better chemistry._ "

"Yes, I saw them cuddling earlier," said Vincent. Sunset was quiet for a moment, thinking about how both Blossomforth and Bon Bon had lost their relationships.

" _Maybe Bon Bon and Blossomforth can become friends over this experience,_ " said Sunset.

"Maybe," said Vincent, "but how do we get them to interact? I don't think they've ever met, and heck, we never saw Bon Bon at Canterlot High, did we?"

" _She went to Crystal Prep,_ " Sunset explained, " _and just because they haven't met doesn't mean we can't introduce them._ "

"Right," said Vincent. "Like I said, we just got to figure out how."

" _Why don't I go to where you are and we'll talk about a plan?_ " asked Sunset.

"I was kinda thinking somewhere warmer," said Vincent, "mostly because I can't stand being out in the cold for a long time."

" _Okay,_ " chuckled Sunset. " _Where's the nearest public building you can go into? I'll meet you there._ "

"The Sweet Shoppe's not too far from where I'm standing," said Vincent.

" _Okay, catch you there,_ " said Sunset. Sandbar and his friends had overheard bits of the conversation from Vincent's end.

"Who is this Bon Bon, I wonder?" asked Silverstream.

"You got me right there," Gallus shrugged.

"Never saw her at Canterlot High, or any school we went to for that matter," Smolder commented.

"They were talking about Blossomforth too," said Ocellus. Then she gave a giggle of excitement. "Maybe they are trying to get Blossomforth and Bon Bon together."

"That would be so sweet," said Silverstream. "Maybe they need help with that! I'm on board for a bit of matchmaking!"

"I have got to see this too," said Gabby. "Count me in!"

"I'm not sure, guys," said Gallus. "It sounds like a bit of a stretch. How will we know if they will get together?"

"Yona think it worth try," Yona perked up. "Blossomforth and Bon Bon deserve second chance at love."

"Well... I think we could give it a shot," said Sandbar.

"So, how are we supposed to help them get together?" asked Terramar. "It's winter, so a picnic is kinda out of the question."

"Maybe they can go ice-skating," Ocellus suggested. "The pond is frozen over really thick."

"But we don't know what size ice-skates to get," sighed Smolder.

"I know!" said Gabby. "Why don't we bake some sweets for them? Blossomforth loves her food."

"That sounds like something we can do," said Gallus, hugging his sister.

"Terramar's and my mom loves cooking," Silverstream smiled. "Come on, let's go to her house."

* * *

Down at the Sweet Shoppe, Sunset had finally walked in. She was pleasantly surprised to see two young figures helping their parents with the baking.

"Sunset!" smiled Pumpkin as she was putting some toppings on a cake with her mom. "Nice to see you."

"Hey, Pumpkin," smiled Sunset. "You're growing up quickly."

"What about me?" asked Pound Cake.

"You are too, Pound," chuckled Sunset, seeing Pumpkin's twin rush out to get some sweets to decorate some cupcakes with his dad.

"It's hard to believe they are now old enough to do simple tasks in here," came a voice from a nearby table.

"There you are, Vincent," said Sunset. "And yeah, it seemed like yesterday when they were just babies watching people talk and eat." Both of them chuckled as Sunset took a seat next to Vincent and they started to get to business.

"Bon Bon really had some bad luck falling for Lyra," said Vincent.

"She sure did," said Sunset. "And while Blossomforth set her eyes on good people, she didn't really think through her choices."

"No, not at all," said Vincent. "But hopefully third time will be the charm."

"We'll need to get them to meet up here so they can talk one-on-one," said Sunset.

"Plus, there's only a week until Valentine's Day," said Vincent. "Hopefully that'll be enough time to figure out how to get them to interact."

"We can figure it out," said Sunset. "Too bad the four of us sans Blossomforth are out of school right now; otherwise, we could have set it up there."

"Doesn't she graduate this June?" asked Vincent.

"She does, with many of our other friends," said Sunset. "Pinkie is especially excited to get out of high school so she can join us at college."

"I bet she will be bouncing around the hall when everyone's names had been called out and the after party starts," chuckled Vincent.

"Thankfully we're in the real world and not a cartoon," said Sunset.

"Right," laughed Vincent before clearing his throat. "Anyway, do you know where Bon Bon lives?"

"Well... no," Sunset admitted. "I never got to ask for her address."

"That's going to make things a bit tougher..." sighed Vincent.

"But I do know that when she's at her house at college, she's roommates with Ringo and this girl named Autumn Blaze," Sunset put in.

"Well, that narrows things down a bit," said Vincent.

"Maybe Ringo knows where Bon Bon lives," Sunset suggested.

"We should ask him," said Vincent.

"Looking for me?" asked a voice. Vincent and Sunset looked over to see Ringo coming in the door of the Sweet Shoppe.

"Oh, hey there, Ringo," said Sunset. "We were just talking about Bon Bon."

"You've met her?" asked Ringo. "When?"

"Yesterday," explained Sunset.

"Ah, I see," Ringo nodded. "She's a good sort."

"We were hoping to get her to come here," said Vincent. "Do you know where she lives?"

"Well, she has moved into a house in town when she's not at the college house," said Ringo. "It's not far from my place actually."

Ringo paused for a moment, seeing that Vincent and Sunset were grinning at each other. "What have you two been doing?" Sunset quickly explained the plan to Ringo.

"Now, that's very interesting," said Ringo. "I'm almost certain Blossomforth is straight though because she's never shown interest in girls to my knowledge. But they could become friends."

"She came out as bisexual to me," Vincent explained.

"I see," said Ringo. "Well, maybe they _do_ stand a chance. Come on, let's go get Bon Bon and Blossomforth."

Ringo went to get Bon Bon while Sunset and Vincent went off to find Blossomforth.

* * *

Soon, Vincent and Sunset got to Blossomforth's house.

"Blossmforth?" Sunset knocked on the door.

"Hey, Sunset. Oh, Vincent," she said upon opening. "Seeing you twice in one day. This is a surprise."

"Yeah, I know," said Vincent. "But we just found out something happening at the Sweet Shoppe."

"What is it?" asked Blossomforth.

"They are giving away free samples," Sunset said quickly.

"Samples?!" cried Blossomforth. "Yum! Let's go!" She started to race off.

"It doesn't take much for her to get moving," said Vincent.

"No, it doesn't," agreed Sunset. "We better catch up in case she hurts herself."

"Good plan."

* * *

Meanwhile, Silverstream and Terramar had brought their friends to their house and were baking away in the kitchen with Ocean Flow.

"You guys have learned quite a lot from cooking class," Ocean Flow smiled.

"Well, Terramar and I had you to learn from, so we're a bit ahead," grinned Silverstream.

"Well, there's that," chuckled Ocean Flow.

"You should see what mom makes on the holidays," said Terramar to his friends. "She makes the best pineapple fritters."

"That sounds really nice," said Sandbar. "Now I'm hungry for fritters."

"If you guys like," said Ocean Flow, "once we do this, I can make some pineapple fritters for you."

"I'd like that," said Smolder.

"Thanks, Miss Flow," smiled Ocellus.

"Not a problem, Ocellus," she replied.

* * *

Not too far away, Ringo had just knocked on Bon Bon's door.

"Hey, Ringo," she greeted. "Good to see you."

"Hello, Bon Bon," said Ringo. "I just wanted to tell you that there's some food samples down at the Sweet Shoppe."

"There are?" asked Bon Bon.

"Yep," replied Ringo. "Come on." Little did Ringo, Vincent and Sunset know was that there was some truth to the lie that they made up...

* * *

"Okay, we're all done," said Gabby.

"Where did you find a nice scone recipe like that?" asked Ocean Flow to Gabby and Gallus.

"Well, there was an old friend of ours from school, Gilda," explained Gallus. "She helped us to make and perfect the recipe."

"Wasn't she a friend of Rainbow Dash?" asked Smolder.

"There was a brief point in time where they were not friends," admitted Gabby. "Gilda resorted to bullying some students in middle school."

"Why?" asked Sandbar.

"We're not 100% sure on the details," said Gallus. "Maybe she ended up with bad parents or something."

"I still don't understand why people mistreat their kids," sighed Ocean Flow. "They should be treated with love and kindness, not bad names."

"Is anyone of age to drive?" asked Gabby.

"Trying to trick us, are you Gabby?" giggled Silverstream. "We've all got our licences by now."

"Actually, it's only me, Sandbar and Gallus," explained Ocellus.

"I think you tricked yourself, sis," chuckled Terramar.

Silverstream just blushed in embarrassment. "Er, yes, just testing..."

"Let's load these up and get a move on," said Smolder, already grabbing one of the containers with the food.

"I hope we can get there in time," said Ocellus, quickly following suit.

"Yona call Vincent about news." Yona got out her phone and quickly rang.

* * *

Vincent was about halfway to the Sweet Shoppe with Sunset and Blossomforth.

"Oh, that's mine," he said. "Hello, who is this?"

" _Yona speaking, Vincent,_ " came the reply.

"Yona?" asked Vincent in surprise. "What's going on?"

" _Oh, Yona and friends wanted to lend hand with getting Blossomforth and Bon Bon together,_ " she explained.

"You overheard what Sunset and I were talking about on the phone?" Vincent asked in surprise. _Now this complicates things a bit,_ he thought worriedly.

" _It work out. Trust Yona,_ " she said in her ever cheerful voice. " _Friends work super hard._ "

"Okay, Yona, if you say so," said Vincent. "Thanks for telling me."

"What's up, Vincent?" asked Blossomforth.

"Oh, nothing," Vincent shrugged. Sunset wanted to ask Vincent what was happening herself but decided it wouldn't be wise to do so with Blossomforth in tow.

"That Yona is always up for a conversation, isn't she?" Sunset commented.

"She sure is," nodded Blossomforth.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ringo and Bon Bon were about halfway to the Sweet Shoppe themselves.

"How has Brawly Beats been doing with his new daughter with Twinkleshine?" asked Bon Bon.

"All three of them are doing fantastic," said Ringo. "Little Lemon Roll is becoming very inquisitive about life around here."

"As all babies should be," chuckled Bon Bon.

"All the same," said Ringo, "I'm worried about how it's affecting him. I mean, he doesn't exactly have the most self-control when it comes to his impulses."

"She does have Twinkleshine," said Bon Bon. "From what you mentioned about her, she sounds like a good mother."

"You're right there, Bon Bon," said Ringo. "And Lemon Hearts' legacy shall live on..." He sighed before continuing. "I hope Autumn Leaves gets better over the loss of his girlfriend. He's been taking it pretty hard."

"He hasn't cracked a smile in six months," agreed Bon Bon.

"We'll have to look into cheering him up," sighed Ringo.

* * *

At that moment, unknown to Blossomforth or Bon Bon, the Young Eight arrived with Ocean Flow.

"Okay, let's get this set up," said Ocellus.

"I bet they will really connect over this," said Silverstream, getting one of the containers out.

"I hope so too," said Smolder.

"Who wouldn't want a nice chat over a treat?" Sandbar smiled, getting out some of the cupcakes that were baked.

"That's so true," said Gabby. "If there are any leftover, maybe our families could share them."

"That's a good idea," said Sandbar. "I'm sure Beach Comb would give anything to pinch one of these."

* * *

As Blossomforth, Vincent and Sunset approached the Sweet Shoppe, Blossomforth could smell something really good.

"You weren't kidding about the samples," smiled Blossomforth. "Come on, let's go get some!" She sprinted ahead of the other two, leaving Sunset to turn to Vincent with a questioning look.

"What did Yona ring you about, exactly?" asked Sunset.

"She said she wanted to help us get Blossomforth and Bon Bon together," Vincent explained. "But she was vague on the details."

"Guess we're about to find out," said Sunset as the two carried on their way. The three of them soon got to the Sweet Shoppe.

"Oh, wow!" cried Blossomforth when she saw the Young Eight. "You guys all worked on this?"

"We sure did," said Gabby.

"Ooh, could I please have one of the scones?" asked Blossomforth.

"Sure," said Gallus, giving her one, and told her about Gilda's involvement with the recipe.

"Really, I never knew she had a soft spot for you two," said Blossomforth as she bit into her scone.

"Whoa, nice stall you made!" came Bon Bon's voice.

"Thanks," said Yona. "Yona assume you Bon Bon?"

"That's my name," said Bon Bon.

"And, you mentioned your name was Yona. What about the rest of you?"

"Oh, my name is Sandbar," he said and quickly gestured toward his friends. "That's Silverstream, her brother Terramar, Gallus, his adoptive sister Gabby, Smolder and Ocellus." The group gave cheerful waves to Bon Bon.

"So you're this mystery Bon Bon I've been hearing so much about," said Blossomforth. "My name is Blossomforth."

"It's a pleasure to meet you too," said Bon Bon. "I can't believe there's so many goodies here."

"Yeah, I wish to get recipes like these myself," said Blossomforth. "Do you like cooking?"

"I sure do," said Bon Bon.

"Maybe we can cook down at my house together," said Blossomforth. "My mom knows a lot of recipes herself."

"So does my dad and my sister," said Bon Bon, "Ooh, this will be great!"

"Well," said Ringo, strolling to his friends, "I think it's safe to say this went better than we could have ever thought."

"Not to mention with some unexpected help," said Sunset, giving a quick wink to the Young Eight. "Guess there _was_ a bit of truth to what we said after all."

"Talk about becoming the mask," agreed Vincent.

* * *

 **AUGUST 10, 2038**

"That's one way to play matchmaker," said Dawn.

"It sure was," said Vincent. "Plus, it helped me to forget that I'd been taken advantage of."

"Oh yeah, and whatever did happen to Aria Blaze and our other cousin?" asked Dusk. "Aria was arrested, but you didn't tell us anymore about it."

"Yeah, last I saw her," said Dawn, "she wasn't in jail."

"Well, that's a story for later," said Sunset to her daughter.

"Did things work out for Blossomforth and Bon Bon?" asked Twilight V.

"They sure did," said Vincent.

"And what about Autumn Leaves?" asked Violet Glow. "Did he find love again?"

"He did," said Twilight. "With Electric Sky, of all people. She was fed up with spending time with her lazy boyfriend Ponet and wanted to change her own ways."

"Wow..." gasped Dusk. "Surprise ending, mom."

"I don't know about you," said Flash, "but it's getting late and I'm tired. Let's tell some more stories tomorrow."

"That's a good idea," yawned Vincent. "Let's all turn in for the night."

Everyone started to retreat to their own rooms, the kids utterly curious as to what may have happened to Aria Blaze and her then-unborn child.

* * *

 **FOOTNOTES**

 **The original plan for the chapter and the last one was for Sunset and Vincent to get into a fight because Sunset thought Vincent cheated on her on purpose, but we ended up with both of them (rightfully) pinning the blame on Aria instead. Besides, after the last few chapters, we needed something more light hearted.**

 **Though not mentioned anywhere, Gallus and Silverstream have gotten together by now as well as Terramar and Ocellus.**


End file.
